Talk Elections

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I decided to create a new thread for this.  Old thread can be found here. (https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=242557.0)

So, Jeff Sessions was confirmed as the new AG today and no one's really sure what will happen now as far as pot is concerned.  Sessions has made numerous anti-pot statements over the years and criticized the Obama administration last year for not cracking down on states that have legalized it.  In the Senate hearing, he said he wouldn't commit to not enforcing federal laws, but he also acknowledged the limited resources of the DoJ and recommended that Congress do something about the issue.

Trump has personally taken a "leave it the states" attitude on marijuana, so clearly it's not something that's high (no pun intended) on his agenda.  Considering the logistical and PR nightmares that would ensue with the Justice Department going after eight states and counting, as more states continue to liberalize their drug laws, I doubt he's willing to let Sessions have free reign over the issue.  So I guess I'm a tad optimistic that states will be allowed to continue experimenting with legalization as the movement for it grows.

In case I'm wrong, I'll post updates on any legal battles with the feds.  I also want to use this thread for updates on ballot initiatives, polls, legislative action, et cetera.

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Two proposals (http://www.fox9.com/news/234526260-story) have been made for legalization in the Minnesota legislature.  Unfortunately, they're probably DOA as Republicans control both chambers and Dayton is opposed to it.

Wisconsin State Senate approved cannabidiol oil today on a vote of 31-1 and it's headed to the Assembly. No idea how Walker feels, he said he didn't support medical marijuana because it's a gateway drug but with the likely overwhelming approval in both houses I don't think he matters. Bill is problematic since it's still illegal to import it into the state or produce it in state. State Dem senator tried to allow production but was shot down.

Phil Murphy's come out in support of legalization (not just decriminalization) of marijuana in New Jersey, the only Democratic candidate to have done so in the race I believe. 

I hope Jeff Sessions enforces federal law. If you want the law changed, change it. We can't just ignore the hierarchy of legal code.

I think the Tenth Amendment takes precedence over congressional statute.

What happened to conservatives supporting states rights?

They will again when they're out of power, but then with all the changes they made the Dems can ram a lot down their throat and they won't be able to stop it. Not a smart move on their part.

Here's what I think the status of legal recreational marijuana could look like after November 2020, by either referendum or through the statewide legislative process ...

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In theory Kentucky or West Virginia could gain a comparative advantage by being the first to Legalize recreational marijuana, where 20-25% of domestic US agricultural production is currently based....

I doubt it will happen with the Social Fundies running the joint in both states, but certainly Kentucky in particular is well positioned, with a better growing climate, historical large scale agricultural hemp production, as well as iconoclasts of both political parties over the past few decades that have been promoting KY doing its agricultural thang.....

Plus if Rand Paul is still in the US Senate, it will help give the State some protection from Federal Government overreach, even under a Trump/Sessions administration....

Regardless, the papers are drying as we speak, and I can see close to 50% of Americans living in full "Green States" come 2020.....

The GOP cares about fiscal responsibility and state's rights when they are not in power.

When they are in power, they spend like drunken sailors and shove their police batons in every house.

This is a pretty good site to check out on a regular basis for all types of ballot measures...

https://ballotpedia.org/Marijuana_on_the_ballot

Here's another website from a Marijuana policy reform advocacy group....

https://www.mpp.org/states/key-marijuana-policy-reform/

Also, since no one else has posted it, the 4th largest County in the US, Harris County Texas, is now effectively decriminalizing personal possession of < 4 Ounces of Marijuana effective the end of March...

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/New-policy-to-decriminalize-marijuana-in-Harris-10935947.php

https://www.texastribune.org/2017/02/16/texas-lawmakers-disagree-houston-moves-decriminalize-marijuana/

Spicer says Justice Department will crack down on states that legalized. (http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2017/02/23/white-house-expects-legalized-marijuana-crackdown-by-justice-department/amp/)

It begins.

Quinnipiac poll shows a whopping 93% of Americans support medical marijuana use and 59 percent support legalizing recreational marijuana (http://www.rgj.com/story/news/marijuana/2017/02/23/new-poll-americans-want-feds-respect-state-marijuana-laws/98308620/)

Support for possession at 53% in Texas (http://www.khou.com/news/health/uttt-poll-support-for-marijuana-growing-like-a-weed-in-texas/413301656)

59% support but only the most progressive Democrats are jumping on the bandwagon. Stupid.

I would like to see the Feds try....

Damn.... I'm old enough to remember CAMP in California, and "Operation Ghost Dancer" in Oregon

https://www.amazon.com/Operation-Ghost-Dancer-Marijuana-Eradication/dp/B00EAZXZMQ

https://www.drugscience.org/Petition/C5J.html

http://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/06/23/Marijuana-booming-600-million-a-year-business-in-Oregon-Believed-to-be-states-largest-cash-crop/4215980764103/

Unless the Trump Administration wants to send the active duty of the US Military into the cities and rural areas of Oregon, Washington, and California and effectively declare war on the Western United States, I don't see any type of "crackdown" working.

Long gone are the days where our state governments will allow National Guard troops to run the helicopter overflights that we used to see for four months out of the year in our rural communities, and even small-towns and cities within our state.

We are done seeing neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family members rounded up in paramilitary style raids, facing long-term prison sentences and felony records, with life-time impacts for Marijuana Cultivation, Distribution, Possession.

We are done with the massive costs arising from the criminalization of marijuana, including the massive diversion of law enforcement resources, legal costs, and costs of incarceration....

Any Federal Troops of the Trump Administration invading the Free States of the West (Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, and Nevada) will only cause us to move forward in drafting our articles of secession....

Let's put it another way..... in many of the major weed growing counties/regions of Southern Oregon & Northern California, there are also a hell of a lot of Vietnam Vet Trump voters as well that aren't going to be too happy seeing the choppers flying over their 100 acre property out in the Mountains searching for their Legal outdoor patch....

Additionally, I would strongly recommend that anyone living in non-Freedom states where citizens can vote for legalization, to help push to get these items on the ballot in 2018, since this is a wedge issue that will significantly increase Millennial turnout, and potentially assist in down-ballot races, just as Republicans tried to use their Anti-Gay agenda in ballot initiatives in 2004 to increase turnout among their base....

I actually much more prefer alcohol to weed these past few decades for my post-work relaxation of choice, but hey different strokes, different folks, and I will vehemently defend the right of my fellow Oregonians to light one up if they feel so inclined.

It actually wouldn't be a terrible idea to give states leeway on legalization in return for heavy federal regulations on THc content, IMO. Not that I think Sessions would propose something that nuanced

"Violence around marijuana"? This guy is delusional. The only violence that takes place is due to the fact that it has not been legalized.

I've heard a reasonable argument that legalized weed nearly bankrupted the cartels and shifted their focus to heroin, leading to the opioid epidemic. It's a persuasive take.

That said, "ban weed so the cartels will sell that instead!" Would be the most asinine Drug War take in a long running debacle full of asinine takes

The heroin problem has a lot more to do with prescription pain pills being given out like candy and long term use for musculoskeletal conditions where they shouldn't be used long term. It's basically synthetic heroin, people get addicted and then switch to heroin since it's cheaper. 

Representatives Tom Garrett (R-VA) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) have introduced bipartisan legislation to exclude marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act, thus leaving states the authority to regulate the plant how best they see fit. (http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/51046/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=20108)

Should be interesting to see how many Republicans get behind this.  I'd expect it to get near-unanimous support from state delegations where it's been legalized and possible majority support from the Freedom Caucus.  I don't think every Democrat will vote for it, but I think this has a real chance at getting passed.  Fingers crossed.

Honestly, I'm not really convinced that will pass. It is basically legalization at the federal level, and probably the best way right now to get the feds off the backs of states that legalized is to do the same thing the Rohrabacher (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohrabacher%E2%80%93Farr_amendment) amendment did for medical marijuana: prohibit the DoJ from spending money to interfere with state legalization. This kind of amendment almost passed in 2015:

https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/06/03/house-votes-to-ban-some-pot-law-enforcement-cut-dea-budget


Of course, this doesn't solve the banking issue the industry faces, but it's a step in the right direction. Until Republicans become less dependent on old voters who still very much form the backbone of anti-cannabis attitudes in this country, it is hard to see them doing something as bold as ending federal prohibition.

Then again, I'm a pessimist when it comes to this stuff :P

Yeah, let's be honest here: this is going to be a political football until all the dinosaurs die/retire and get replaced by more forward-thinking people on this issue.  Fortunately, I think this is an issue that both parties will eventually reach agreement on and probably sooner rather than later.  Right now I think that any federal legalization/decriminalization attempt has a much better chance getting passed the House than the Senate, though, because there is a lot more diversity age-wise there.

I'm a bit curious how Greg Walden (R-02) would vote on something like this....

He went from being strongly opposed to medical marijuana, in direct contrast with many of the voters in his Republican House district to supporting medical marijuana rights in states where it is legal in 2014 as well as medical marijuana for veterans:

http://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/2133820-151/oregon-gop-like-nation-softening-on-medical-marijuana

http://marijuanapolitics.com/huge-win-veterans-medical-marijuana-oregon-congressman-earl-blumenauer/

His district opposed legalization, although it did win in the two largest population centers in his district, Jackson and Deschuttes Counties, as well as almost winning in heavily Republican Josephine County.

The Southern Oregon section of his district has a large illegal outdoor growing industry on public lands, much of it controlled by the drug cartels, which has a negative environmental and social impact.... this is a problem which has dramatically decreased now that recreational marijuana is legal in Oregon.

http://www.klamathbasincrisis.org/crops/pot/apublicmenace080810.htm

After observing one eradicated pot plantation after another during the flight, Walden concluded to no one in particular, "We used to grow timber."

Will Walden be one of the flip votes should there be any house will regarding supporting legalization in states where the voters have adopted this?

House members who voted for the Rohrabacher medical marijuana amendment last year but against the McClintock full legalization amendment:



http://www.marijuana.com/blog/news/2016/10/state-marijuana-votes-could-end-federal-prohibition-in-2017/

Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard [D]   CA
Rep. Thomas Rooney [R]   FL
Rep. Gwen Graham [D]   FL
Rep. Rob Woodall [R]   GA
Rep. Bob Dold [R]   IL
Rep. Adam Kinzinger [R]   IL
Rep. Stephen Lynch [D]   MA
Rep. Bruce Poliquin [R]   ME
Rep. Debbie Dingell [D]   MI
Rep. Collin Peterson [D]   MN
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer [R]   MO
Rep. Ryan Zinke [R]   MT
Rep. Kevin Cramer [R]   ND
Rep. Brad Ashford [D]   NE
Rep. Peter King [R]   NY
Rep. Louise Slaughter [D]   NY
Rep. Yvette Clarke [D]   NY
Rep. Paul Tonko [D]   NY
Rep. Tom Reed II [R]   NY
Rep. Christopher Gibson [R]   NY
Rep. Richard Hanna [R]   NY
Rep. Lee Zeldin [R]   NY
Rep. Elise Stefanik [R]   NY
Rep. Daniel Donovan Jr. [R]   NY
Rep. Joyce Beatty [D]   OH
Rep. Greg Walden [R]   OR
Rep. Jim Cooper [D]   TN
Rep. John Duncan Jr. [R]   TN
Rep. Gene Green [D]   TX
Rep. Ruben Hinojosa [D]   TX
Rep. Marc Veasey [D]   TX
Rep. Filemon Vela [D]   TX
Rep. Jason Chaffetz [R]   UT
Rep. Chris Stewart [R]   UT
Rep. Mia Love [R]   UT
Rep. James Sensenbrenner Jr. [R]   WI
Rep. Glenn Grothman [R]   WI
Rep. Alex Mooney [R]   WV
Reps. Corrine Brown (D-FL) and Vern Buchan (R-FL) both voted for the McClintock amendment but against the Rohrabacher amendment.

Interesting that Tom garrett, from such a conservative district, sponsored that

He's quite libertarian, no?

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/florida-medical-marijuana-bill-would-outlaw-smokable-and-edible-cannabis-9190847



This is so disappointing. This goes completely against the spirit of the amendment. They are turning Amendment 2 into basically another sham "Southern-style" medical marijuana bill, where the only thing allowed is low-thc oils. Why can't they just accept the will of the voters here?

Looking at the amendment text, unless I missed something, it may actually be constitutional to limit actual administration methods like this:

http://dos.elections.myflorida.com/initiatives/fulltext/pdf/50438-3.pdf

However, one thing I did notice was that the amendment doesn't really permit the agency from making regulations on the way cannabis may be administered nor the form it can be sold in. So there may be some relief there.

Hopefully they modify this bill before passage to allow what the initiative intended to allow.

1.) So what is the chance of something like this making it through the state legislature? 

2.) If so, what are the potential consequences for Floridian Republicans in the State House & Senate for deliberately undermining the intent and will of the voters on this issue?

Whatever the Republicans want to pass through the legislature will get passed and signed. The consequences won't be felt at a state legislative level, but it could be something that so outrages Morgan that he announces his candidacy.

This is probably what I would call a "compounding problem," where it isn't big enough to cause a backlash on its own, but it will nicely augment other issues people have with Republicans to help turn them against the GOP on election day. Amendment 2 hasn't been implemented yet, so there is a lot less political risk to doing something like this.

This should be a big fat warning to anyone pushing complex ballot initiatives on issues like MM - never leave important parts even slightly ambiguous. Never expect the legislature to acquiese and accept that the people wanted this, no matter how much it passes by. This could have passed with 100% of the vote and Republicans would still be doing this for the same reason they are now trying to make initiated amendments require 67% of the vote to be approved (up from 60%) - they don't care what voters want, and the politicians only care what the voters think when they think they may lose power. They believe that because they have a majority in the legislature, that they have a blank check because clearly they were so wise that the people picked them, and when the people voice their displeasure or try to go around them, the first response is to try and remove the voters' ability to do anything, whether it be voter suppression or making initiatives impossible to pass.

I have to say again - I'm really surprised and really disappointed that Morgan missed something as important as this. If this bill passes with these restrictions, then A2 will basically have been a complete waste of time and money.

Bolded for response...

This is part of the reason that the Oregon Marijuana Legalization initiative passed with such overwhelming support, and there have never been any legal challenges....

The 2014 Oregon Marijuana Legalization initiative was based on the "lessons learned" from both the positives and negatives from the Colorado and Washington initiatives.

Because it was such a carefully crafted piece of legislation, that allowed a significant degree of local (County/City) controls regarding the existence of medical & recreational facilities within local communities, mandatory testing of potential chemical contaminants from suppliers, etc it won in a landslide, even in many traditionally Conservative Republican parts of the state, not to mention the "soccer mom's" of places like Lake Oswego.

Unlike Florida, many Western States allow items to be placed on the ballot relatively easily, and can/will/have flip out in the "ballot box" if they feel that Politicians are unilaterally overturning direct democracy....

So, in the event that the Republican dominated State Government of Florida goes this route, is there a potential that it will dramatically increase turnout among Millennial voters in 2018, and potentially be the type of issue that will dramatically increase turnout among non-regular voters. (Look at how Republicans used the culture war issues of Abortion and Gay Rights in 2004 to turnout voters for example).

Probably not. I think the cannabis (medical or recreational) legalization boost is mostly a media construct. There may be some effects, but not really worthy placing emphasis on. Millennials have heavy support for ending prohibition, but I don't think it has the same galvanizing effect as other hot topic issues.

If Millennial participation in 2018 sees a huge jump, I think it'll probably have more to do with Trump than MM.

I'm still skeptical, especially now that Sessions is AG, thus giving lawmakers an excuse as to why they shouldn't do it. The reality is, public support has been there for legalization for some years now but lawmakers, most from older generations, are still stuck in the old way of thinking and in some cases, are too heavily influenced by various special interests. It might be years longer before we see movement on this by state lawmakers. I mean, hell, Vermont shot it down last year and Massachusetts just recently passed a bill delaying implementation of their legalization measure until 2018, which is no surprise because state officials fought that measure tooth and nail. I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to slow it down even more.

I'm just hoping the results of legalization in the states that recently did so, namely California, will finally be the needed push to get the ball moving in state legislatures a couple years from now. As it currently stands, we're starting to run out of viable states where legalization can pass by initiative alone.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-illinois-marijuana-legalization-proposal-met-20170322-story.html

Tiptoeing around the issue in Illinois, as usual.  Two Democrats say they will bring it up for "hearings and feedback" but will not vote on it this year.

http://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2017/03/22/legal-pot-bill-clears-key-committee-in-vermont-house



I am extremely supportive of legalization but this type of "half-legalization" kind of sucks. Allowing everything but actual sales just increases the profits and power of the black market.

I suppose it might be better than nothing, especially since I think Vermont might be encouraged to allow sales soon after once they begin to realize the tax revenue they are passing up.

I'm sure they'll will wise up if/when Massachusetts & Maine open up their stores

http://norml.org/news/2017/03/02/nevada-lawmakers-moving-forward-with-expedited-plan-for-adult-use-marijuana-sales


Good to see at least one state isn't being dicks about this. Also, regarding California - if the deadline is baked into the statute's text and regulatory agencies are not given the ability to override, which it doesn't seem like they are, then the legislature cannot delay it unless they send a measure back to the voters to approve. CA has strict rules on "legislative tampering" - meaning initiatives can't be modified solely by the state govt.

I do not have the same hostility to marijuana as I do towards hard drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

I think green is the way to go!

Missouri medical marijuana advocates made blunders for the ballot petition last cycle but hopefully it will get on the ballot in 2018. At this point medical marijuana should pass in Missouri.

It will need 280,000 signatures to qualify I believe,.

http://www.weednews.co/missouri-medical-marijuana-campaign-at-nearly-10000-signatures/

But still we have to keep in mind that marijuana is illegal under federal law and the US Constitution does have the Supremacy Clause.

West Virginia becomes the 29th state to legalize medical marijuana, but the legalization is a bit limited (https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/7/15218096/west-virginia-medical-marijuana-opioids)

Happy 4/20.  A Virginia poll was released last week. (http://wtvr.com/2017/04/12/poll-virginians-are-happy-want-background-checks-for-guns-and-legal-weed/)


I expected opposition to be a bit lower for Republicans, seeing as Republican millennials support legalization nationwide at 63% (http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/02/27/63-of-republican-millennials-favor-marijuana-legalization/), but 59% is great here.  And that percentage supporting medical marijuana is just plain ridiculous.

As a side, both Northam and Perriello are for decriminalization and medical use.

National support at all-time high (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/support-for-marijuana-legalization-at-all-time-high/)

88% support medical, 61% support recreational, and 71% oppose a federal crackdown on states that have legalized.

Our politicians routinely believe and act as if America is more conservative than it actually is.

Most politicians are old white men, too.  It's not hard to figure out. :P

Vermont Senate passes the amended legalization bill, sending it back to the House. (https://www.massroots.com/news/vermont-senate-approves-marijuana-legalization)  It isn't certain whether Phil Scott will sign or veto it if and when it passes, but the Senate has more than enough votes to override a veto.

And they all had it drilled into them throughout their school years how dangerous it was. Health classes that covered drug use back in the 60's-80's covered marijuana in the same section as heroin. It's very hard to overcome that deep early training, despite its common use in their college years, even as modern facts emerge.

Speaking as a high school student from the 80's, I concur.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hastert_Rule

Some good news: after meeting with Sessions, Colorado gov thinks AG unlikely to crack down on marijuana (http://www.thecannabist.co/2017/04/27/marijuana-meeting-ag-jeff-sessions-colorado-governor-john-hickenlooper/78541/)

I can sympathize with this to an extent.  But lawmakers are, at least in theory, supposed to be better informed and up-to-date about these things than the average voter.  They should be willing to change their beliefs in the face of new evidence, as plenty of medical experts have in recent years.

But for people like Sessions, I think this is clearly seen as a moral issue more than a medical issue, though it's also generational and that's why I think we'll see more marijuana-friendly legislation from Congress and the states as older politicians from both parties are steadily replaced by younger ones.  I think eventually this won't be a partisan issue.


A slowly dying tradition.

Absolutely. While he was extended an invite to view Colorado's system first hand, I don't really think Sessions cares if it works or not, if it makes a ton of money or not, if it reduces opioid use or if it helps people manage pain/nausea/etc. Sessions just doesn't want it legal. Period. He genuinely doesn't seem to care what benefits it has, and often tries to delegitimize any good aspects of cannabis consumption. If cannabis hadn't received such strong public support and brought in a ton of tax revenue for various states, I'm sure the Trump administration would have moved quickly to dismantle any semblance of legalization in this country, possibly for medical marijuana as well.

This is what drives me up the wall with anti-marijuana crusaders like Sessions. They don't care about any of the benefits. They just don't like cannabis and they'll make up their own facts & ignore real ones to bolster their position.

The only way to fight back against people like them on this issue is to make sure they never have any power to actually implement their failed ideas.

Just a question since I haven't really followed marijuana legalization too closely.

The legalization of recreational marijuana in California is kind of a big deal for the legalization effort right?

California is the world's 6th largest economy, so legalization there is bound to have a massive financial impact on the marijuana industry and California itself. I mean, I've seen some estimates that put the tax revenue gained by this measure in the billions. Not to mention the indirect benefits of reduced criminal justice costs, increased tourism, and jobs.

Isn't this a death knell to the prohibition movement? The effects of legalization in California are going reverberate throughout the country, no?

Congress gives Sessions $0 to go after states with medical marijuana laws (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jeff-sessions-state-marijuana-laws_us_59077dcde4b0bb2d087023df?utm_campaign=hp_fb_pages&utm_source=main_fb&utm_term=nosplashcard&utm_medium=facebook&ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063) (Rohrabacher-Farr amendment)


I would think that's a good analysis, yes.  I'm not sure what the status of California's industry is right now.  (Is it even legal yet?)  But if California is anywhere near as successful as Colorado was, weed will be a very, very difficult thing to touch.

I believe California's recreational marijuana law goes into effect in 2018.

Win-win situation. If Scott signs it, legal weed in one more state. If he vetoes it, it's something to attack Scott on.

Apparently there's a legalization bill in *Texas* that wasn't killed off immediately that's cleares committee and might actually get a debate. Crazy

Republicans that support it in red states should try and use the line that it will "tax the sh**t out of liberals" and it'll probably get more support.

If Scott does nothing recreational Marijuana will become legal on 12:01am on Thursday I believe. I think he's not going to sign or veto and just let it pass.

Scott will announce his decision tomorrow (well, today).  I'll be disappointed if he vetoes, but I don't think it will mean a whole lot either way.  If he signs it, you're probably not going to see a bunch of pot shops open up next year in Vermont because it doesn't really provide a legal framework for sales to operate under.  It only "de-illegalizes" and opens up a commission to study the effects of a regulated marijuana market.  If he vetoes it, then we can probably expect a full legalization bill the next time a Democratic governor is elected.

And Scott vetoes it.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/24/news/vermont-marijuana-legalization/index.html (http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/24/news/vermont-marijuana-legalization/index.html)

Boo!

BRING ME THE HEAD OF PHIL SCOTT

Kind of what I was expecting, really.  Scott told the legislature to toughen penalties for stoned driving and giving pot to children, and fund more for regulation and education.  So it ain't over yet.

EDIT: VT legislature doesn't convene until January.  Ugh.

I don't get why they couldn't have just done that from the start. Now, granted, I don't exactly know what Gov. Scott meant by "toughen penalties" for those two things, but it doesn't sound unreasonable.

But, whatever. It's probably going to happen there sooner than later, unless Vermont wants to give up all that potential tax revenue. Save for Maine and Massachusetts both somehow nullifying the legalization measures passed last year, New England will soon be flooded with weed and anyone still holding out is just going to miss out on the good times and dank profits :P

Also it's interesting that Scott is to the left of Andrew Cuomo on this issue. (http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2017/02/cuomo-says-he-remains-opposed-to-recreational-marijuana-109436)  But that's Vermont for you.

IIRC the bill itself was a compromised version of a more ambitious proposal anyway.  Scott probably didn't want to be the one making the final call on this.


Very true! :)

Rosenstein talks down pot, suggests possible changes to the Cole memo in the future (https://thefreshtoast.com/cannabis/deputy-attorney-general-coming-after-legal-marijuana/), Tom Wolf tells Sessions to back off. (http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/06/wolf_sessions_medical_marijuan.html)

Per Rosenstein: I don't know what "it’s a very complicated issue for us" means.  Probably more empty rhetoric since Congress has its finger on a lot of this and I don't think they have the appetite to sue the states they represent.

It's possible such actions could expedite the implementation of a funding ban on prosecutions or investigations related to cannabis in legalized states, similar to the current Rohrabacher–Farr (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohrabacher%E2%80%93Farr_amendment) amendment.

-

Also, I forgot to post this when I read it, but:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/florida-politics-blog/fl-reg-medical-marijuana-passes-20170609-story.html


Unfortunately those snakes still kept the smoking ban in, although I'm not sure how you would enforce that so long as actual smokeable herb is able to be sold.

I hope the eventual lawsuits filed over this work out, as these lawmakers are blatantly going against the spirit of the amendment - an amendment that passed with massive support. It really bugs me that they just can't accept what the people voted for. If 71% of the state votes for something, those lawmakers ought to properly and fairly implement it, even if they don't personally agree. Their personal position on this should be irrelevant.

I was at a county-level LP event last night and we had a speaker from LegalizeMI on the petition to get legalization of recreational marihuana on the ballot for 2018 here in Michigan. They are 'well on their way' in the signature drive.

It had a decent compromise on the number of plants (12), punishment for possession (fines and misdemeanors instead of felonies for under 21 possession or personally carrying more than 2.5 oz). Revenue wise it was in the middle with 10% excise tax plus 6% state sales tax. Again not perfect but perhaps they can get it to pass.

My one concern is it would be a midterm election and likely prohibition voters typically skew higher for the midterms than the presidential elections.

So far the numbers don't look bad.

Is this the ballot initiative?

https://ballotpedia.org/Michigan_Marijuana_Legalization_Initiative_(2018)

So if I'm reading this correctly 252,523 valid signatures are required.... what's the number looking like thus far?

Year   Initiated amendment   Initiated statute   Veto referendum
2018   315,654   252,523   157,827

Utah Patients Coalition working to get medical marijuana on the ballot in Utah: (http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/13619-utah-patients-coalition-launches-2018-medical-cannabis-ballot-initiative-campaign)


As a local, I think it'll pass. Enough people support medical marijuana (even with the Reefer Madness attitude among the halls of power in the state) that if they can get it to the ballot, it'll win. The most recent campaigns have even been headed by active Mormon moms who are a far cry from the stereotypical view of a medical marijuana user.

Hmmm... that's pretty interesting.

Any feedback yet from the LDS leadership on this potential ballot initiative yet?

Assuming based upon what you have posted that it would be a high CBD/ Low THC scene?

Based upon your experience and knowledge of Utah politics, how difficult would it be to get this initiative on the ballot to meet the signature requirements?

You're in luck, because it turns out the LDS Church put out this statement yesterday: (http://fox13now.com/2017/06/27/lds-church-weighs-in-on-medical-marijuana-ballot-initiative-in-utah/)


Basically, they're on the MOAR RESEARCH BUT SERIOUSLY, REEFER MADNESS GUYS train. Though they have actually supported extremely limited, low-THC cannaboid oil treatments for sick kids.

And I don't know much about CBD and THC, but from what I understand, all serious efforts to legalize it in Utah have focused on low THC treatments.

As for getting the initiative on the ballot, it's rather difficult (https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governing_the_initiative_process_in_Utah), but doable. A decade ago, we managed to force lawmakers to put vouchers on the ballot (when they wanted to pass it secretly in the legislature) and then crushed vouchers by a ballot vote, so its certainly doable if the will is there. And even with the LDS Church's refusal to really support medical marijuana, I think it will pass. Most Mormons don't even think of marijuana as Reefer Madness anymore, and a lot of people have sick relatives and friends who could use medical marijuana. Heck, recent efforts have been spearheaded by faithful Mormon moms, as I said.

And only tangentially related, but Utah was the deciding state to overturn Prohibition (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-first_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution), despite the then LDS Church President Heber J Grant being vocally and politically in favor of Prohibition.

As of midnight (Nevada time), marijuana is officially legal in the state.

There are (44) local retail shops something like (34) in Las Vegas (3) in Reno and (7) elsewhere?

Maybe my math is wrong, but its pretty dang close....

I suspect the major shortage of a local supply-chain, lack of local Subject Matter Experts (SME), not to mention the dearth of Knowledge, Skills, and Experience (KSE) will in the short-term benefit small family farmers in Oregon and Colorado to meet the demand in a market that might well exceeds Colorado within the next 5 years ("What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas")....

Although Herb isn't really my "bag" anymore, I still celebrate the expansion of freedom and end of prohibition in yet another state in the Union....

Tax, Regulate, reduce the economic and social costs of mass incarceration involved with non-violent drug related offenses (Traditionally targeting MJ), and take the revenue to focus on much more pressing societal problems including education and drug treatment programs, rather than how Nevada used to be.... (Real vintage sign image used below)

()

http://www.rgj.com/story/news/marijuana/2017/07/08/nevada-fire-resources/452606001/


Looks like legalization is a massive success in Nevada so far. Perhaps too successful!

What's the deadline to get enough sigs to make it to the ballot as a citizen's initiative?

I'm fairly confident that if it makes it to the voters in Michigan it will likely pass, but frequently even in states where citizen ballot initiatives are common, ballot thresholds can make it tight towards the endgame, especially if a chunk of supporters are relatively younger and more likely to move around and such, which can create a much higher % of "invalid" signatures when the SoS does the "spot checks", and I'm sure that Washtenaw and Ingham will be disproportionately audited on this particular initiative....

Yes, the campaign behind is being run quite well - they are ahead of target on signing and are trying to get a strong support in their polling for their proposals. Revenue wise it is mid-range, plant restriction wise it is one of the least restrictive.

A speaker from MI Legalize came to our last monthly meeting. I liked how the new laws did not create any new more stringent penalties where there were not before.

Of course the police are not very forthcoming with comments on it but a lot of other groups they've put the proposals to have been fairly supportive.

Illinois should legalize it so they can tax it and help themselves out of their black hole of debt.

Decriminalization signed in New Hampshire (http://blog.norml.org/2017/07/18/new-hampshire-marijuana-decriminalization-measure-signed-into-law/)

>thinking anyone in the hellhole known as Springfield has enough of a brain to use this idea.
Ha Ha Ha
dear god I hate my state.

This is going to soon become a lot more ubiquitous, so I won't post about it much, but:

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/342754-tax-revenue-for-legal-weed-sales-in-colorado-exceeds-500-million


So it looks like they could be in for over or about 220 million in tax revenue. Just for Colorado. Imagine a state like California, where I think the total tax revenue was projected to hit over a billion.

Honestly, it still boggles my mind how other states are passing on this opportunity to tax a substance people are already using en masse. If I could say something to them, it would be: Face it. Your side lost. Whether you like it or not, cannabis prohibition is coming to a close. Might as well fill some budget holes with sales taxes on it or stupidly pass on it out of stubbornness.

New poll in Utah shows 77% support for medical marijuana: (http://www.sltrib.com/news/5550202-155/over-75-percent-of-utahns-support)


Of note is that 45% strongly support, and almost 33% somewhat support, with only about 20% strongly opposing or somewhat opposing.

If it gets on the ballot, it's going to win. I'm absolutely sure of it.

Legalization seems to have much more bipartisan support in the West, to nobody's surprise

Not sure if this is the best thread to post, or if it belongs more in the Gubernatorial FL category but Politico just profiled John Morgan as a contender for FL GOV '18...

Still, even simply running for Governor as a dark-horse Democrat will raise the profile of Legalized Marijuana in Florida, in a way that your establishment Dem candidate will not. Additionally, if he rolls the dice and makes a run, it will likely significantly increase Dem turnout in a midterm election, that would potentially have down-ballot impact as well in what might be a very interesting year for incumbent Republicans in the US House.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/08/01/can-weed-make-john-morgan-governor-of-florida-215446

No doubt I'm excited to see if they can actually pull that off. A convention opens up all sorts of possibilities, including a significant expansion of voter access laws that have been previously blocked. That and basically everything else progressives can't get due to a Republican state Senate and a Governor more interested in a split-legislature and weak "half-win"'s to burnish his 2020 profile.

With that in mind, legalization proponents would do well to try and draw in advocates for other issues (like single payer) to help up their chances of success.

Illinois is holding hearings for legalization proposals (https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-lawmakers-hear-testimony-for-marijuana-legalization-proposals/) with two bills introduced in the House and Senate

Another poll in Utah shows 74% support for medical marijuana, despite LDS Church opposition. (http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/14386-poll-broad-support-among-utahns-for-medical-marijuana-ballot-initiative-including-strong-support-among-mormons)

Of note:

74% support overall

63% active Mormons (that is, churchgoing, tithe-paying, allowed in LDS temples) support it.

61% of Republicans support it.

93% of Democrats support it.

81% of independents support it.

51% of those who describe themselves as “very conservative” support it.

Basically, if this gets on the ballot, (which it should, the signature gatherers are well funded and motivated), it will pass. What's interesting though is that the face of medical marijuana legalization in Utah are good Mormon moms and kids (and a few grandmas). The medical marijuana coalition (called TRUCE) is essentially using the "think of the children and the moms" argument, but in favor rather than against marijuana.

Marijuana decriminalization introduced in VA Senate for 2018 term
 (https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?181+sum+SB111)

I doubt it'll pass, but Freedom Bill nonetheless.

Weed is now officially legal in California.  Congrats to all the CA posters!

() () () () () ()

Whoop Whoop!

Shockingly, not much has changed here. Here in SoCal, the only places that had dispensaries opened today were Palm Springs, Cathedral City, San Diego, and Santa Ana. West Hollywood starts selling by Wednesday, Los Angeles won't be giving out permits till later this month, and Moreno Valley will sell in the summer. For the time being, I gotta drive 45-60 minutes to find a permitted dispensary

Everywhere else has either completely banned it or is in "wait and see" mode. Hasn't stopped the existing/illegal dispensaries from opening their doors to everyone 21+ without a rec though

How can that be if it was legalized statewide?  Are city governments flat-out refusing to grant permits?

This is something that really pisses me off. Unless a city or county flat out voted against the legalization initiative to begin with, they should not be allowed to ban or significantly curtail dispensaries unless they put a measure doing so on the ballot for voters to approve in a high turnout general election (to avoid attempts to guarantee an outcome by 'selecting' a lower turnout electorate of old people). To ban dispensaries despite your town and/or county voting to legalize is just politicians nullifying the wish of their citizens simply because they can't accept that their old, crusty views are no longer acceptable to their constituents.

It's bad enough we have Old Man Sessions scheming to take away the progress we have made. The last thing we need is officials at the local level playing games too >:(

Prop 64 gave local governments authority over allowing businesses in their locales. However, it allows residents to grow up to 6 plants indoors or in an enclosed structure (Such as a greenhouse).

- Bakersfield/Fresno: Placed bans on all pot businesses
- Riverside: Imposed a moratorium on all businesses until September
- San Jacinto: Approved manufacturing/distribution, but not dispensaries
- San Bernardino: Voter-approved dispensary measure recently got struck down in court. The issue goes to the city council, who haven't been very supportive about allowing them.
- Desert Hot Springs: More recreational dispensaries open than all of LA County

I'd give it another year until the recreational market gets into the full swing of things, at least in Southern California

Sessions rescinding Cole Memo (https://apnews.com/19f6bfec15a74733b40eaf0ff9162bfa)

This is not good news.

Pot was federally illegal anyway, so I don't think the federal response will be as drastic as it's made out to be

On the contrary, I'm curious if this ends up galvanizing the legalization movement more than anything. Wouldn't be surprised to see the Democrats investing in some ballot measures this year or in 2020

Good news. Ballot initiative legalizing Medical marijuana cleared for a vote in Oklahoma:

Oklahoma to vote on medical marijuana in June
 (http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/367509-oklahoma-to-vote-on-medical-marijuana-initiative-in-june)
Jeff Sessions BTFO

Vermont House passes bill to legalize pot. It now has to be approved by the State Senate, the Governor has already said he'll sign it

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/government/2018/01/04/vermont-house-vote-marijuana-legalization-thursday/1003206001/

Doesn't sound like the US Attorney there has any plans to stop it.  This is good.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-hampshire/articles/2018-01-09/new-hampshire-house-to-vote-on-marijuana-legalization-bill


I wonder how far this will get.

Did Jeff Sessions Just Increase the Odds Congress Will Make Marijuana Legal?

The attorney general has created intolerable uncertainty for a growing industry that is now demanding legal protections from Congress. And lawmakers are listening.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/01/06/jeff-sessions-marijuana-legalization-congress-216251

VT Senate approves bill, sends to governor for his signature.  The bill will legalize possession of up to one ounce of marijuana and possessing two mature marijuana plants or four immature plants.

if Scot vetos, could it be overridden??

The U.S. News article that Virginia linked earlier on this page says he has already committed to signing the bill.

Great news! It's too bad that sales aren't going to be authorized by this bill, though.

https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/albany/2018/01/16/new-york-look-legalizing-recreational-marijuana/1036703001/ (https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/albany/2018/01/16/new-york-look-legalizing-recreational-marijuana/1036703001/)

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott signed the legalization bill today. Vermont is officially the first state to legalize pot through the legislature.

- New law takes effect July 1
- Adults 21+ can possess up to an ounce of pot
- Can grow, up to, two mature marijuana plants and four immature marijuana plants per house (Harvested indoor crops don't count)
- Does not include regulations for a recreational cannabis market, so no place to buy it legally


http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/government/2018/01/22/vermonts-legal-marijuana-law-what-you-should-know/1045478001/

It's nice to see lawmakers finally breaking with generations of anti-cannabis tradition, and I suppose this is a good first step, but not only leaving but encouraging the black market is really a bad way to go about this. It's legalization with none of the incentives.

http://wpri.com/2018/03/02/recreational-marijuana-legalization-takes-a-blow-with-commission-recommendation-delay/


Pretty much the right idea:


But this one annoys me a lot:


Uhmm, hellllooo, legalization isn't new anymore. We've already seen the impact in numerous states. It's fine. This is the kind of argument I'd expect to see pre-2010. Here's my thought on this: If your argument for delaying, in 2018, is public safety, then it's fair to assume that you really don't want to legalize at all and you're just kind of throwing out a generic argument that's been used for years.

Seriously, I'd really like to know what exactly they are doing in this commission. Are they curing cancer? What takes around a year and a half to 'study,' when numerous states have already done it and seen a ton of tax revenue and no overly negative effects on society? What exactly takes over a year to 'study' with all this real-world trial & error data available at their fingertips? This isn't rocket science.

-

Cannabis is truly one of the best examples of why every state should have an accessible Colorado/Washington-style initiative process. Every where full legalization has passed has been by initiative because lawmakers are either too brainwashed by generations of anti-cannabis propaganda or too afraid of non-existent negative political consequences to go through with it. When are they going to realize that this is no longer a losing issue in most states? I mean, the least they could do is cook up a legislatively-referred amendment/statute and let the voters vote on it. That is one way to shift responsibility and still get something done.

Indiana isn’t ready for hemp according to Eric Holcomb (https://www.wthr.com/article/governor-holcomb-says-indiana-not-yet-ready-for-industrial-hemp)

Seriously? There are no legitimate arguments against hemp besides “it’s related to marijuana so it must he bad.”

Michigan voters support legalization 61-35 (http://woodtv.com/2018/03/05/poll-mi-voters-support-marijuana-legalization/)

I would be a willing to bet a majority of voters in every state outside the Deep South/Bible Belt support legalization.

Any word on the Michigan ballot initiative? Is it definitely on the ballot?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-illinois-legislature-marijuana-20180301-story.html (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-illinois-legislature-marijuana-20180301-story.html)

Illinois likely to have an advisory (at least it's something) vote on marijuana this November. Cook County already said 68% yes for that last month.

LA Times: Trump administration abandons crackdown on legal marijuana (http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-marijuana-trump-20180413-story.html)

Sessions = cucked

Teeheehee

Also, if he doesn’t change his mind 60 seconds later on this like he often does, then good for Trump. Seriously, it’s the correct move.

Though it should be rescheduled completely, so that it is not left to the whims of an AG or President on any given day

Hickenlooper said he hasn't ruled out banning pot again in CO. And there goes the brief flirtation with a presidential run.

This is heartening, and it's also much closer to what Trump's position was on the campaign trail.

BIG

Weed in Michigan, yayyyy

Now only if IL would legalize it

Doubt Michigan legalizes recreational weed. But turnout might be right for it this year.

How many states need to legalize before it needs to be legalized federally?

I assume once it reaches a certain number, keeping the substance illegal on the federal level will be quite tough.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2018/05/10/county-panel-endorses-marijuana-referendum-nov-6-ballot/591566002/ (https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2018/05/10/county-panel-endorses-marijuana-referendum-nov-6-ballot/591566002/)

So a Milwaukee County committee unanimously passed a resolution for a vote on legal pot for Nov 6, it's expected to pass the full council.

BIG

Ohio Attorney General certifies marijuana legalization petition
 (http://www.wowktv.com/news/ohio/ohio-attorney-general-certifies-marijuana-legalization-petition/1173456783)

Florida's ban on smokeable medical marijuana ruled unconstitutional (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/political-pulse/os-smokable-medical-marijuana-ban-20180525-story.html)


Good.  Is the amendment worded better this time?

The FDA has approved the country's first medicine made from marijuana.  CBD rescheduling to come. (https://www.statnews.com/2018/06/25/fda-approves-countrys-first-medicine-made-from-marijuana/)

Advocates are aiming to put it on the ballot for 2019. Brilliant, because nothing turns out youth and minority voters like an off-off-year election.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/north-dakota/articles/2018-08-13/north-dakota-recreational-pot-measure-approved-for-ballot (https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/north-dakota/articles/2018-08-13/north-dakota-recreational-pot-measure-approved-for-ballot)

Voters in North Dakota will vote this November whether to legalize recreational marijuana, alongside Michigan. Utah is also voting this November for medical marijuana, possibly joined by Missouri.

WOW!!!

Anybody want to bet on how well it will perform in November in ND?

My guess it will perform significantly better than the Oregon MJ Legalization Initiative back in in '86, where outright legalization garnered 26% of the Vote, but on the short end of the joint compared to legalization votes in recent years in most other states....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_in_Oregon

My guess is that it goes down by something like 42-58% NO.

Still there are a lot of farmers in ND, and they are checking at agricultural commodity pricing in States where Herb is Legal, and realize that there is a much higher profit margin per acre than in many other ag commodities.

That being said, farmers aren't stupid at all, and those potentially inclined to invest in the "Green Rush", also realize that despite the potential windfall if they chose to go that route there are multiple risks and downsides:

1.) It is still illegal at the Federal level making it a cash only industry.

For farmers, this is a no-go zone, since like many other smaller businesses, having a stable supply of credit is key to successful cash-flow, especially considering the vicissitudes already inherent within an industry, where simply a bad harvest season caused by things like drought can cause successive negative balance sheets for multiple years in a row.

2.) The classification of Marijuana at the Federal level (Especially under the current AG) make it an extremely risky business proposition, where in theory, the Feds could swoop in at any time, and seize all assets of farmers that recently diversified their acreage to incorporate a limited share of the "Legal Bud" market. If I were running a successful small Corn Farm in Eastern North Dakota, running narrow margins with decreased commodity pricing, even if I were so inclined, that would make it an overall negative value proposition.

3.) Many farmers in the US are already facing severe margins in recent years as a result of a global collapse of agricultural commodity pricing.

States that have legalized recreational Marijuana are increasingly starting to see a massive collapse in the retail price of Marijuana as the Supply overwhelms the demand.

Just a Month ago, I went to a retail establishment a few Miles down the road from where I live, in a heavily agricultural producing region of Oregon, to pick up some Medicine for my Wife  from a major work-related injury some 20 Years back, and they have a discount deal for $60 for an Ounce of High CBD /Low THC Herb with a Sativa/Indica mix???

For the consumers that might sound like great news, but for the farmers that a 50% drop in pricing, compared to what I heard through the Grapevine an OZ would go for way back in 1990 in "Downstate Oregon" would go for that much, is obviously a major medium and longer term business proposition!!!

4.) An additional business concern for farmers interested in investing in the "Green Rush", is that agricultural production is a scientific business that requires many years of knowledge, skills, and experience (KSE) and ultimately farmers in North Dakota know they are well behind the curveball when it comes to regions of the US where the "Guerrilla MJ AG sector" has been running strong for decades.

https://www.wweek.com/cannabis/2017/04/11/the-rise-and-fall-of-sinsemilla-tips-corvallis-legendary-marijuana-magazine/

There are tons of Old Skool Pro's in the Biz going back to the late '70s and early '80s, that addressed a major shortage of MJ in the US compared to demand, after Jimmy Carter massively clamped down on MJ importation from Mexico/South America, as well as the Caribbean that created a default "Cottage Industry" in many parts of the US.

The growth of MJ AG production during that period was heavily driven by two regions of the US, both of which were facing extreme economic hardships during the height of both "Stagflation" and the "Reagan Recession".

1.) The Pacific Northwest--- Major increases in domestic MJ production were heavily concentrated in areas that had seen a dramatic decline in the Timber Production as a result of the US Economic Crisis from the Mid 1970s to the Mid 1980s.

The collapse of Housing Starts triggered by the Reagan Administration to "address" a hyper-inflation economic environment, triggered the Deepest and Longest Recession in Oregon History since the Great Depression, and in many heavily Timber dependent communities forced people to find work in the "Informal Sector"....

2.) I remember some 25 Years back in College in Ohio in a High Times article about how 25% of domestic American MJ production was taking place in Appalachia America....

Needless to say, is it any wonder that in a region where Military Service was essentially obligatory for a Young Male of draft Age, that many Americans from the region first experience MJ in 'Nam.

Now, the massive decline of the Coal and Steel producing centers of the region during that era, created a major unemployment situation, where if you were in your '30s back then, and you got laid off at the plant (Union Seniority--- First hired, First Fired), and you have a plot of family land out in the hills with 120 acres inherited, and suddenly you start looking at alternative means of revenue, especially once your unemployment check runs out, and you gotta figure out how to pay the property taxes on the land you inherited from your parents, and again you turn to the "informal sector".

5.) ALL Recreational MJ Producers from States that approved these initiatives in the early days are anxiously awaiting to see what happens once California Agricultural Marijuana starts hitting other States markets....  What happens if we see a "Marlboro Greens" start showing up from massive Agribusiness Farms in Cali?

6.) Honestly I doubt that Social Morality will be a deciding factor in North Dakota citizens choosing to allow Recreational Marijuana in their State....

Farming is an extremely complex and scientific endeavor, and the risks of shifting to REC MJ well outweigh the potential upsides, and although I suspect a large majority of voters in ND don't mind if adults smoke a joint in the privacy of their own homes, I don't think this state had enough reasons to support REC HERB in terms of local supply-chains.

Any Opinions?

Kind of curious if this was done to try and help Heitkamp. North Dakota seems like a somewhat random choice otherwise.

Well certainly there was most likely outside funding to get enough signatures to get it on the ballot combined with sufficiently airtight legal statutory protections against any attempt to overturn the will of the voters.

Although obviously we can't speak to the intent of those that invested $$$ getting this ballot measure out there for November, it is still somewhat questionable to what extent putting "Social Issues" on the ballot actually significantly changes voting patterns in Federal Elections.

There are certainly strong arguments to be made that Anti-LGBT ballot initiatives significantly boosted Evangelical Turnout in the 2004 General Election, but we really don't have any significant evidence to support that this actually made a significant shift in overall Margins, even in a General Election Year when it came to Kerry vs Bush Jr.

So let's say hypothetically that it increases turnout among "Non-Traditional Off-Year Voters".... this may add +1-2% to Dem margins overall in the US in a GE.

Problem is that North Dakota is:

1.) Already a fairly high voter turnout state, even in off-year elections

2.) It is generally a fairly "Old" State compared to the National Average, without a major concentration of Younger Age demographics that *might* surge to the voting booth based upon Legalization of Weed.

3.) Sure in an extremely close US-SEN election there might be enough extra votes out there from 3rd Party Younger Voters in '16 that went Libertarian and Green, to take the ball over the line on a 3rd and Inches scenario, but still....

Now thing with ND is that investing $$$ to get stuff on the ballot is very inexpensive compared to many other States in the Union, so if I were still playing Semi-Pro Poker, it might well be a really good value bet....

Scott--- Although I knew it happened, I didn't start to realize the significance until about Two Months ago in the smoking area of my work-place.

Anecdotal Story: But represented honestly and the best of my abilities involving an individual whom I have known for ~ 10 Yrs....

A Senior "In-House" employee of a Fortune 50 Company at the Mfg/ R&D Factory that I work at, was talking about a side gig as a Project Manager he was doing for a friend that involved converting some 40 acres of rural Mid- Willamette Valley designated Ag land (Oregon Land Use Planning Laws), into an alternative form of Agriculture.

Naturally a bunch of the line workers, Techs, and Engineering employees started cracking jokes about how he is doing a side gig in the Weed Business....

After a few days of relentless teasing he cops up, and his long time buddy that he was lining up the outdoor drip-systems for was growing CBD MJ as part of of an experimental gig to gain market access anticipating changes in FED laws....

High CBD / Low THC has become increasingly a recommendation for many Doctors in Legalization States to address certain types of patient ailments, and actually helped move one of my Daughters who would likely fall into the class of the 6-8% (???) of Marijuana smokers that tend to exhibit patterns of both physical and mental addiction. (Obviously addictive personality types are not confined to any one substance, for anyone who considers themselves to be a former or recovering addict of any type).   

Maybe I spent too much time talking to my Dad in my Teenage Years, or exhibited other types of addictive personality disorders.... AAS (Atlas Addiction Syndrome)    :)

Now my Daughter that had a massive prescription medication addiction, where the High THC MJ would counter-balance some of the "Brain Chemicals" that the Doctors used to give her like candy, is now clean and sober for over Two Years, and doesn't even smoke or consume MJ with THC anymore, after finally weaning her way off the pills, and then moving into Medi CBD products to address some other major Medical issues....

CBD > Medical MJ > Some States Rec

Still, I think Oregon will gain a couple Thousand jobs alone just on CBD research $$$ alone, once the Feds open the pipeline for Non-THC Medical MJ.

So here's a map that I created of where Marijuana Policy might look like after the November 2018 elections...

The dark green states speak for themselves= Recreational Marijuana is currently legal

Light Green states= Recreational Marijuana is on the ballot in November 2018

The Yellow Green States= States where medical marijuana is relatively accessible for a wide range of medical conditions and can be consumed through smoking and with a level of THC contents

Pink States= States where access to medical marijuana is difficult, restrictions on THC levels, and smoking marijuana is not approved.

Light Blue States= States where medical marijuana is strictly limited to CBD only, and or basically impossible to obtain.

Dark Blue States= Places where medical marijuana is illegal under state law.

So as you can see from the map, in theory an individual with a medical marijuana card could drive from Maine to California with an Oz of herb in the trunk with relatively little risk, outside of a sliver of NH, PA, WI.... the tricky part would be crossing the Idaho Panhandle without ending up in jail...




()

Legalization in Michigan passes!

Still shocked that legal weed failed in North Dakota.

Yeah, especially by the margin.  Heitkamp lost by 11 and weed failed by 18.

Two years ago, medical cannabis was approved 64-36. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomangell/2018/11/06/north-dakota-marijuana-legalization-measure-fails/#6020a1445c89)

I mean, it is North Dakota after all. No state anywhere near as conservative as North Dakota has approved recreational weed.

Alaska did, but it has a stronger libertarian streak than ND.

The next states we should be looking at for ballot initiatives are Arizona, Ohio (without the monopoly nonsense in the last referendum), Missouri, and Montana.  It would gain majority approval in Florida, but it will probably take a few cycles before it can get 60%.

Recreational probably won't pass in Oklahoma or Arkansas any time soon.

If it gets on the ballot in Wisconsin it would pass too. Recreational weed won everywhere it was on the ballot by yuge margins and medical marijuana was winning with 80% in deep Republican counties too.

True, but binding/non-advisory ballot measures need to be approved by the legislature first in Wisconsin.  Democrats would probably need to win control of the statehouse first at least, which they weren't able to do this year.

Although IIRC when I was watching the WI Senate debate a few weeks ago, Baldwin referred to some local marijuana measures that were on the ballot in some counties and cities that she was supporting.  How did those go?

https://www.tmj4.com/elections (https://www.tmj4.com/elections)

Scroll down, marijuana initiatives are all there I believe but all passed. Nonbinding.

So what are the chances that Illinois legalizes marijuana? Apparently it is part of JB's agenda. And I don't mean half-legalization like Vermont, but full legalization with a market that provides tax revenue? This seems like a no-brainer for IL, but lawmakers in most states so far haven't seemed to accept that there is little-to-no political risk anymore and that legalization is basically inevitable.

Same goes with Virginia, Minnesota, Connecticut or Pennsylvania. All are liberal to liberal leaning states.

Honestly, at least for now, all of these except maybe Connecticut do not seem to be viable due to Republican control of one or both legislative chambers. It's hard enough to get Democrats on board, and Democratic voters support legalization in much higher numbers than Republicans. Virginia might be possible once Democrats flip the legislature, but I feel like they need a bigger majority than what seems possible in 2019. Need to have a MoE for the inevitable defections of lawmakers who are either too scared of making what they still perceive to be a politically-risky vote and/or are still under the spell of the war on drugs.

Illinois seems like a better bet due to their fiscal situation and the fact that they now have a unified Democratic govt with super-majorities in the legislature (and Governor who explicitly supports legalization)

 I think legalization/decriminalization needs to go on the 2020 Florida ballot. Florida has a 60% threshold making it difficult to pass but it will increase voter turnout.

We might get a vote soon here in New Jersey.

https://www.nj.com/marijuana/2018/11/nj_officially_on_path_to_recreational_marijuana_he.html

Fingers crossed.

Cuomo, who as recently as last year opposed legalization, included it in his budget proposal. (https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-york-governor-may-include-marijuana-legalization-in-budget-proposal-next-month/?fbclid=IwAR1egyYZwFTk6dASh8fpZxk-bC8NknNMO8SI9XV1vMYHYeQqF9bjFfQR3Nw)  New York could have a fiscal framework for the program as soon as April.

Thanks, Cynthia!! :]

I mean there's really no point in opposing Legal Marijuana in IL anymore, but I don't think personally that the decision is up to Pritzker....

Mike can you please let us have that herb finally?

If you are referring to muon, remember he's leaving the state legislature in another week or so.

Besides, as smart as he is he was more than willing only about a year before oberfell to deny equal rights to every gay and lesbian person in Illinois because he became a complete and utter b**** two party extremist  in the name of party Unity. I don't care how smart he is, history has shown one cannot count on him to do the right thing.

I am pretty sure he is referring to madigan

I assumed Mike Madigan, since he's really calling the shots in the legislature. And now that he is once again armed with a super majority, he has some wiggle room with regards to the whims of the executive.

They would have to be stupid to reject legalization though. No one is going to punish them for it, and the state really needs the money, so there are only upsides to this. With that, I'm cautiously optimistic.

Okay, let's war game this. What is the most likely route for legal marijuana to fail in Illinois at this point? Near unified Republican opposition fwiw, no? What are the chances enough conservative Democrats could defect to stop this? Relatively low, correct?

So it comes down to the big players I guess. Will Madigan use his clout to bottle this up in committee? I have a hard time seeing pritzker not sign a bill that comes to him. So it's going to come down to the legislature. Which I think means it's going to come down to Madigan, no?

https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2018/12/31/everyone-wants-legal-pot/ (https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2018/12/31/everyone-wants-legal-pot/)

All 19 Municipalities in Milwaukee County voted for recreational pot in the advisory referendum in November.

House Speaker Steve Shurtleff is confident that the Legislature can override Sununu's veto. The State House is absolutely going to legalize it.

Right now, you have two crossovers on both sides. The GOP has John Reagan and David Starr (who are both libertarian-leaning Republicans). The Dems have Shannon Chandley (newly elected senator), Cindy Rosenwald (newly elected) and D'Allesandro (entrenched veteran). Most undecideds are Ds, with Harold French being the only Republican.

Chandley and Rosenwald's oppositions seem to be based off of her previous votes, which most of the party has moved past. I think Chandley will come around, and have no doubts Rosenwald will. D'Allesandro opposing really throws a wrench in the override plans.  Between the Gardner stuff and this, I'd be willing to work for any candidate that primaries D'Allesandro at this point.

The good news is that French has been very open (https://www.haroldfrench.com/blog/?p=76) to the idea of legalization, and outright sounds like he's leaning yes here. He was one of the crossover votes for the decrim bill,  If Shurtleff/Soucy got him to join on, then legalization will happen this year. I'd put the odds at about 60%.

Right now, THE LIST:
Starr (SD-1): Yea
Giuda (SD-2): Nay
Bradley (SD-3): Nay
Watters (SD-4): Yea
Hennessey (SD-5): Yea
Gray (SD-6): Nay
French (SD-7): Leans Yea (nothing on the record yet - this is speculation)
Ward (SD-8): Nay
Dietsch (SD-9): Nay
Kahn (SD-10): No Info Found
Chandley (SD-11): Leans Yea (voted nay in the spring, but I've heard rumors she's already flipped)
Levesque (SD-12): Yea
Rosenwald (SD-13): Leans Yea (voted nay in the spring, but she's very D establishment and I'd be surprised to see her defect)
Carson (SD-14): Nay
Feltes (SD-15): Yea
Cavanaugh (SD-16): No Info Found
Reagan (SD-17): Yea
Soucy (SD-18): Leans Yea (Can't find anything on the record but she's establishment incarnate, so she'll vote for it)
Birdsell (SD-19): Yea
D'Allesandro (SD-20): Nay
Fuller Clark (SD-21): Yea
Morse (SD-22): Nay
Morgan (SD-23): Undecided
Sherman (SD-24): Yea (Sawxleaks)

Italics are confirmed cross-over votes. I haven't put French in italics yet since there's no confirmation.

Correct, very low. Correct, Pritzker will sign. Correct, it is up to Madigan.

Like many things we have seen in the past, Madigan will hold up a process that a majority of the state and everyone else involved in the legislative process strongly support for...who knows what reasons. I guess he's got more important things to be worrying about.

Imo there’s no reason for any of the new trifectas to not legalize weed. All the blue states should have it legalized soon. The only one I see being tricky is New Mexico bc in most polls Latinos are the least likely to support it.

Pritzker will absolutely sign it, Madigan wont hold it up this time

Any updates on NJ? They seemed like the state that was going to be the next one to legalize.

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/connecticut-marijuana-legalization-bill-has-a-huge-cosponsor-list/ (https://www.marijuanamoment.net/connecticut-marijuana-legalization-bill-has-a-huge-cosponsor-list/)
Looks like my state is gonna do it.

Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) is scared that Evers Medical Marijuana plan will be a slippery slope, aka Wisconsin Republicans will not support any marijuana legislation, even when deep conservative counties gave 80%+ support to medical weed. Lovely -_-

The NJ Senate will vote Monday on cannabis legalization, but not guaranteed to pass.

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Murphy-Makes-Final-Push-to-Legalize-Marijuana-in-New-Jersey-Before-Vote--507536451.html

At this rate, New York may actually beat New Jersey to the green.

NJ got cold feet, it seems.

Next year, perhaps?

Low energy New Jersey...SAD!

At this point I'd be fine with a ballot vote. This is getting ridiculous.

They can't seem to understand that voters are not going to punish them come election time for legalization. It's like decades of prohibition have left them with cannabis PTSD or something.

Also, shame on this moron for his 1980s-level thinking:


No need to take anyone's word for it, they can just look at the 10 other states that have legalized, and for bonus points, the dozen+ more that have decriminalized. There are no gd crime waves. What is with Essex lawmakers tanking good bills? This is not the first time that region's Rep(s) have done this.

For an issue that constantly claims large majorities of public support yet fails to unite lawmakers, that is an ideal compromise solution. But it will probably never happen for the same reason lawmakers frequently try to meddle with initiatives after they pass: Many of them see themselves as the only true gatekeepers of the law. They know better than the simpletons they represent, and the people merely serve as an undesirable yet necessary obstacle in obtaining power.

What Rice said there is relatively tame to what he's said other times about what pot would bring to the state:
https://www.nj.com/union/2018/07/sen_rice_concerned_about_legalizing_marijuana_due.html

I would agree that if they just voted yes, it wouldn't hurt them in their next elections (state senate isn't up until 2021 anyway). Hell, it might help get younger people to help GOTV for them next time and certainly help Murphy for the concurrent gubernatorial election. I know my senator was "undecided" (but definitely leaning towards no) so I'm certainly going to take that into account if I decide to not do my yearly canvassing as I've done in the past for her campaign (support the bill, not a partaker of the stuff).

Does NJ have ballot initiative? That would easily get on the ballot if someone started it.

Only the Legislature can call a referendum. There's no initiatives.

And it looks like Ron Rice & Co. are going to hold up the bill. Given the really good criminal justice side of the bill (allowing for tex-felons with marijuana offenses to have them stricken off their record, starting releases for some of those in jail), it's genuinely maddening how these guys (and most them being African American men at that) think this is going to be bad for the state

Thank goodness that this failed in NJ

We seem to have one of the best liberal Democratic parties, constantly holding back far-left legislation, good. I feel bad for those in CA and CO, who actually have to deal with this horrendous policy.

Not funny.

Ugh. The one area of policy I actually supported Murphy in.

New Mexico ran out of time this session to do full legalization but MLG says that it will be towards the top of the list of stuff to do next year. There’s a bill that’s passed the house to decriminalize it and do some stuff on the medical end.

Illinois Senate passes bill legalizing recreational marijuana use

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/446155-illinois-senate-passes-bill-legalizing-recreational-marijuana-use


Not 100% on it but I think part of the compromise was that only people with a medical marijuana card can grow their own at home.

Excellent!  Now the ball is in Madigan's court.

Hopefully he blocks it


He should do at least one good thing for Illinois, and that good thing is blocking marijuana access (which should be illegal nationwide)

It's funny because you're one of the people who could benefit from a joint the most.

Why do Republicans hate freedom so much?

Either way, excellent news, especially after NJ sh**t the bead.

We hate crime


Also thank god that NJ rejected this

"I support the way things are because that's the way things are!" "If something is illegal, it must stay illegal because it is illegal!" Two fallacies in one, impressive.

Jared Polis signed six marijuana-related bills in Colorado yesterday, (https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2019-05-30/colorado-gov-polis-signs-marijuana-tasting-room-and-home-delivery-laws) including a bill that lets businesses apply for a permit to allow consumption on their property.  The measures will have to be approved by local governments.

Illinois House passed the legislation 66-47, goes to Pritzker who says he will sign.

It doesn't look like legalization is on the table in NY this year. (https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-marijuana-legalize-illinois-not-new-york-20190604-story.html)  Cuomo says the votes aren't there in the Senate just yet and the session ends in just twelve days, although Cuomo as well as the Speaker and Majority Leader have been blamed for the bill stalling.

New York, like New Jersey, has awful politics, so sadly this doesn't surprise me.

If Cuomo actually wanted the votes to be there, they would be there.

Could be not enough time to actually get those deals done to make it happen in the time remaining, but yes, you're right.

Appears there might be a slim chance for NY to do something about marijuana this session.

The Illinois legislation has been signed into law.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/illinois-recreational-marijuana-governor-legalizes-governor-j-b-pritzker-signs-bill-today-2019-06-25/

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem legalization is on the horizon in my state where the Republicans still control the Upper Chamber. I believe they actually blocked a Senate bill earlier this year.

Edit: Found it. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/03/11/senate-committee-torpedoes-legal-marijuana-bill

It is amazing how Republican politicians are in opposition to even a lot of their own supporters.

Just like so many other issues.

Most Republican politicians are right on issues like drugs and crime. They take the wrong view on issues like guns, the environment, and education. Oh, and then of course, you have Republicans like Rand Paul and Cory Gardner, who take the wrong view on drugs, but then again, Rand Paul takes the wrong view on practically every issue.

I have to give you some credit. You really are a stereotypical "Suburban NJ Conservative" lol. Almost feels as if you're playing a character.

I'm personally not super pleased about the spread of marijuana use, but I think legalizing it makes more sense than just decriminalizing.

If you legalize it, then it won’t be a crime.

Hell, not even understanding your political perspective.....

Doesn't sound Libertarian, Republican, Democratic nor Green....

In Oregon back in the '80s at the height of the Reagan Recession, many out of work Loggers and Millworkers (Skilled craftmen all) learned to grow a certain strain of MJ to not only export out of state, but also to improve the spirits of Oregonians that were suffering the highest unemployment rate in the Country at the time....

"Most Republicans are Right on Issues Like Drugs and Crime"..... (Your Words)

Sounds like yet another rethread of the days where George Bush Sr was mobilizing Oregon National Guard Troops to conduct a quasi-military operation in my home state.

Can you imagine living in a setting where the sounds of Military Helicopters wake you up in the early morning hours, hovering over your 1.5 acre property on a river bank in the Mid-day?

Can you imagine a New Jersey where massive raids are committed against alleged Marijuana Growers, in a small town and rural state experiencing the most massive depression since the Great Depression?

These raids were not just committed against "Hippies" but against laid off and unemployed loggers that knew the forest and their rural counties and resisted by all means necessary against the Federal Raids of "King George HW Bush"...

Read your history Man before you open your mouth on this subject....

There were certain places where we knew not to go as teenagers, my wife from Josephine County and me from the Central Willamette Valley because "No Trespassing Signs" mean exactly that.... likely a Vietnam Vet just wants to be let alone, maybe would take a warning shot if you cross the property line during dear hunting season....

Sorry punk, you sound like a Liberal when you talk about Guns, Environment, & Education....

Give you that. but I still have many friends, family members, and co-workers that like their guns (mainly for hunting and target shooting), so even many "Liberal Oregon Democrats" are chill with 2nd Amendment Rights, although the vast majority of us disagree with the Gun Loophole and Federal Background Check BS.

Not all of us agree with banning procurement and purchase of semi-automatics, but hell we all agree with strengthening screening laws, and potentially even gradually prohibiting purchases of certain guns that are more a weapon of war than anything else....

Not sure where you are at man, but maybe take a toke listen to some tunes and realize that Prohibition is done gone and over.

No longer much of toker and smoker in my mid '40s, but hell America has much bigger issues to deal with in 2019 than a continuation of Prohibition and the "War on Drugs" which created permanent Felony records for parents of Oregonians that I went to HS with simply because they were growing weed....

So is anywhere going to have ballot referenda on weed in 2020?

Seems about time for Ohio to take another crack at this, right? I think enough time has passed that it could pass there.

According to Ballotpedia: Arizona, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, and South Dakota all have citizen initiatives in circulation for Marijuana Legalization....

How many if any of them will qualify and survive the court review process is another question, let alone if it would pass in any of these states (Other than NJ)....

It's been awhile since, I looked at the ballot thresholds to qualify for an initiative by State, but this is a good place to start, and I believe will likely update once signatures start to get collected and numbers updated, based upon state initiative law.

https://ballotpedia.org/Category:Marijuana,_2020

The only viable state there seems to be Arizona, given that it only requires a simple majority to succeed. The other states I'm not so sure about. Also New Jersey doesn't have an initiative process afaik, so they may be referring to a possible amendment referred to the people by the legislature, which would be the smart, reasonable thing to do if the lawmakers are too spineless or incompetent to enact reform themselves.

Of the ones that aren't New Jersey, I'd say Arizona and then maybe Missouri would have the best chances of actually passing.

Given how much attitudes have shifted, I wouldn't sleep on any of those, even Arkansas. Arkansas has voted for things like Minimum Wage Increases while giving Republican landslides at the same time. Also, it's a state with desperate need to have SOMETHING going for it, and first in the South legalization status would attract some tourism for sure.

Arizona:  has been on radar for a bit when it comes to a public initiative, even if it does not occur in a Presidential Election Year (Might help might hurt).

Main reason being the shifting Demographics of Anglos in Arizona that comprise an overwhelmingly slice of the electorate compared to the overall ethnic population of AZ.

Increasingly Senior Citizen retirees to California tend to be much more "Liberal" on this issue than previous waves that settled in places like Sun City, Glendale, etc back in the days....

I believe (and someone can fact check me on this), but I do believe that Anglos in California had the highest % support for Legalization in the State, compared to Black and Latino, and Asian-American voters in Cali....

Now, it could well be that Midwest and Rocky Mountain State Anglo retirees might have different perspectives on the subject....

Generally, based upon what little we know about MJ legalization initiatives in heavily Multi-Ethnic states (Basically data points from California, haven't really checked precinct results from NV), it does appear that for whatever reason Minority voters were less receptive to legalization than Anglos.

Now, this doesn't mean that heavily Millennial Latino voters that are starting to become a significant segment of the Latino electorate in AZ won't vote in similar patterns as other Millennial communities on this issue, and might change the mind of some their parents who simply believe that Marijuana is a distraction, can get you into trouble with the law, interfere with your job prospects and education, and potentially even worse get you caught up with some harder scene.

New Jersey: Could simply and easily pass this in an overwhelmingly DEM House and Senate and would get signed into law the next day by the Governor.

We have seen multiple posts from our resident NJ posters on this subject, and quite frankly, if I were an NJ-DEM I would be looking at doing a Primary action against the DEMs that are still standing in the door, or challenging an old skool NJ PUB to take them down for this for NJ-House or NJ-Senate.

It's a long drive from NJ to buy some legal bud, and you gotta be paranoid about state highway patrols along the New Jersey Turnpike, and upon your entire return trip.

Easier to just do some handshakes on the corner from the safety of your car if you don't have a "hookup".....

Arkansas:    This could be a wildcard when it comes to Medical MJ....   Seriously, I seem to vaguely recall some articles in the Business Press at that time of the late '80s/ early '90s, that something like 25-30% of American Marijuana was grown in the Appalachian region.

Although I prefer a beer to a bong these days, there are a ton of folks in places like Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia, that wouldn't mind getting into the market before they get swamped by the Legal Weed coming down from Illinois down the Mississippi River Valley.

4.) Yes I agree it's a pretty bleak list of states for 2020 where current MJ initiatives have already been filed when it comes to the movement (Not that other States still don't have plenty of time to create $$$ and draft initiative movements.

Although I extremely rarely smoke anymore, I still support the Freedom Movement for Federal Legalization of Marijuana, even if it needs to gradually move up state by state.

()

Did the Ohio State Legislature just accidentally legalize marijuana?

Huffington Post:

"State contortions to legalize hemp in Ohio got so complicated that it now looks like misdemeanor marijuana charges won’t be prosecuted — in effect legalizing pot for the time being.

That’s pretty much the conclusion of legal experts and the state attorney general. Columbus officials have already declared they’re dropping prosecution of pot misdemeanors"

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ohio-marijuana-legal-accident-hemp_n_5d4e689de4b0fd2733f0b7df

Texas did the same thing, although here in Texas, it's up to individual DAs what to do about it. All five of the most populous counties in Texas (Harris Dallas Bexar Tarrant and Travis) have effectively temporarily decriminalized over this legal SNAFU.

Yep, Texas and Florida are going through the exact same thing.

Yes and no. I today read the memo from Hamilton County - - Cinci area - - to County law enforcement agencies. His take on the matter is that, since it's a matter of having the technical know-how to properly test the marijuana which won't be developed for at least several months apparently, but felony charges have at least a six-year statute of limitations, that prosecution's in such matters May simply be delayed.

Now it's very different for minor misdemeanor level possession of marijuana. Ohio is surprisingly Progressive on this matter having decriminalized marijuana many years ago, but only recently removed a mandatory 6 months to five your license suspension. Because minor misdemeanors have only a six-month statute of limitations, it effectively negates any prosecution's. Ergo the Columbus City prosecutor's office has announced its dropping any pending prosecution's as well as not filing additional ones. They cover all of Franklin County, plus those portions of the city of Columbus in other counties, FYI.

The question just dawned on me about Minor misdemeanor marijuana drug paraphernalia charges. Such things include pipes, papers, even plastic baggies or other containers for marijuana. Until just a few years ago, along with getting rid of the mandatory license suspension, drug paraphernalia was punishable by up to 30 days and $250 fine, addition to the mandatory license suspension. So you could actually get a less serious penalty from up to 1/5 pound of marijuana possession, then you could for the baggy you carried it in!

Anyway, it now is also decriminalize, punishable by up to $150 fine and no mandatory suspension. I suppose if some kid is found with a pipe and admits when the cop asks that it's for smoking weed they could be prosecuted for it. I sincerely doubt the city of Columbus will do so, especially as a client has eyes on going higher up the political food chain, and taking a hard stance on marijuana in 2019 is not the way to go to win over Central Ohio Democratic primary voters. Other counties like when I used to prosecute for in West Ohio, though, just might decide it's worth doing rather than letting Devil Weed run rampant among their communities.

Appears Mississippi will be able to vote on medical next year.

Is anything happening this Election Day?

Nothing statewide, but more local:
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2019/11/01/wayne-county-vote-marijuana-schools-mayors/2501655001/
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/five-ohio-cities-will-vote-on-marijuana-decriminalization-next-week/

In regards to Ohio, a statewide measure initiative failed to get on the ballot.

Thanks for the update LCameronOR....

There are certainly several interesting points within these two links you posted, which certainly have been in the front-line topics even within States that have legalized Recreational and/or Medicinal Marijuana:

1.) Zoning of Marijuana related businesses is still a major issue even within states such as Oregon, where our legalization law effectively allowed municipal and county county control that had a choice regarding MJ related business activities, including retail shops, including recreational & Medicinal being allowed to operate in various communities.

2.) Other major issues include the smell from Marijuana Processing Facilities impacting the quality of pollution in the air within facilities located closer to populated areas.

Although the vast majority of the "Indoor Marijuana Production Agricultural Family Farms" and "Weed Processing Facilities" are generally located well outside of the Cities, or if not are located in Warehouse districts with no neighboring population, it is becoming an item of concern to various residents.

3.) One of the more serious critiques that we are seeing in Oregon is from the Agricultural Sector within Central and Eastern Oregon. The expansion of MJ Cultivation to Central and Eastern Oregon is sucking up precious water, that obviously completes with various other forms of Ag.... First read this in an Ag Farming Mag from the PacNW a few years back.

Meanwhile, we have the "Server Farms" sucking up Energy and Water in places such as Central and Eastern Oregon, and similar places within Washington State....

4.) Municipal and local control is real, even with states such as Michigan that have legalized MJ.... I could go through my precinct results from Oregon about which places back when voted for or against.... 

5.) OH---- Decrim is essentially something that sends a message to the Coppers to focus on something else....

OR was the first state to decrim, and even when I was in HS way back in '87 the coppers do an illegal search when a teenager might possibly have smoked a joint in public, it would be one of those gigs where you smash the pipe and the weed on the ground and walk away.

One of my fellow Supervisors at the Factory was a Clean Copper in the Small Mill Town next Door, and would never bust people on the Weed, but only on DUIs or distribution if the qty was over the limit....

6.) Back in the early '90s we had these hard Cali Coppers showing up in Oregon, likely to take a break from the heavy s**t going down in SoCal and Cali.... they would shake us down, and we would always stand up against them, but we always knew the clean coppers vs the dirty coppers back in the days....

7.) No idea about how the election results are going to play out within the communities that comrade LCameronOR mentioned, since municipal level stuff doesn't allow for much data points without doing an extremely deep dive....

8.) Currently our company has a policy that if an applicant pisses dirty for MJ, they will not be accepted but are more than welcome to reapply within (30) days, without any negative judgement.....  (Kind of like common sense crap back when I used to smoke (20) Years ago, but now employers are wise that it's better to screen out Meth/Coke/Heroin users than someone who took a rip off a bong 3 weeks back....

Looks like we might see a major breakthrough coming through coming from the North-Eastern States (NY, NJ, PA, CT, and ???)

https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/10/marijuana-northeast-governors-legal-068229

RI was the other one.

We might be on track for a vote next year.

https://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2019/11/18/new-jersey-marijuana-legalization-bill-dead-lawmakers-will-let-voters-decide-1227894

Good, at least it WILL pass this way when the boomer politicians can't kill it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1h46ayt2AY

Matt Gaetz mocks Kellyanne Conway over marijuana: OK boomer

This is the only non deplorable thing I have ever heard Matt Gaetz say. Good for him.

Upgraded NOVA Green map of the State of Marijuana Freedom Policies within the various states of the US:

Dark Green = States where Marijuana is fully legal for recreational consumption.

Medium Green= States where Recreational Marijuana might be on the ballot in 2020.

Pea Puke Green= States where not only is Medicinal Marijuana Legal, but also where there is no jail time for recreational possession of Marijuana.

Pink= NC State that has eliminated jail time for possession of small amounts of Marijuana

Aqua Blue / Cop Cars = States where Marijuana is illegal but there are limited medical options.

Dark Blue / Prison Cells= States where if you get busted with Weed you are likely doing time in the County or Joint ....

()

Wisconsin really stands out as a bizarre exception to the rule for the dark blue States. Probably comes from the lack of having voter initiative or referendum measures, IMHO.

Agreed, Wisconsin definitely stands out, especially considering it was practically the cradle of the Progressive Movement in the late 1890s and early 1900s, where Citizen Initiatives and Referendums were part and parcel of the movement....

We are after all talking about the home of a legendary Man, not only in Wisconsin, but nationally, where direct votes were part and parcel of the movement....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_M._La_Follette

In practice, like many states, I suspect that state and local law enforcement tends to use a relatively broad range of discretion when it comes to MJ related arrests...

Even some 25 Years ago when me and three friends from college did a "drive-away car" gig to head out West and we got stopped right outside of Cheyenne on the Highway, and the driver got popped for speeding 80 MPH in a 65 MPH, and we got pulled over by Wyoming State Highway Patrol, and one of the gals had an Eighth of Weed on her, and we got illegally searched on the side of the road in 15 Degree weather, the cop basically took the Weed without paperwork, gave the driver a $300 speeding ticket, and sent us on our way....

Turned out there was a Rainbow Gathering going on in some National Forest outside of town, so they profiled some young college kids driving back West thinking they might have a real bust on their hands, but the paperwork for citing the gal wasn't worth the time for a small amount of weed, despite the potential legal impacts that might have caused her considering it was a Felony....

Black and Brown Brothers and Sisters driving through might have gotten hit with a much harder rap....

That, and Republicans as usual. Leaders of the Assembly and Senate think it's an evil gateway drug. Vos (head of Assembly) is "open" to medical, Senate leader says no. Basically they're terrified of "pot on every corner" when there's literally a bar on every corner.

Seems like the momentum is there for FL to vote on legalization next year

https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/initiatives/initdetail.asp?account=74455&seqnum=2

That's good.  It probably won't pass with the 60% it needs next year, but it should get pretty darn close!

https://twitter.com/MichaelSymons_/status/1206721431045910529?ref_src=twsrc%5Ego...

We're voting next year.

It's going to pass easily.

Should have been passed well over a year ago but at least it won't be punted and delayed anymore.

This is actually a smarter legalization decision for D's. Driving up turnout should help with holding all those districts.

Gov. Pritzker issued pardons for 11,000 marijuana convictions the day before cannabis will become legal in Illinois-

https://mobile.twitter.com/AP/status/1212100370396319745

Don't have time to grab a link currently but marijuana on the ballot in South Dakota for this fall for medical and recreational. 

Any updates or news here?

Legalization bills have passed committees in New Mexico and New Hampshire.

Hmm... do I need to update my statewide map?

The NM legalization bill passed the State House but died in the State Senate. NM's governor vows to try to pass legalization again in 2021.

Yet people always say that marijuana was banned by racist whites.

Totally true and valid point....

Arguably the massive shift in public opinion on legalization has occurred in virtually all communities and regions of the country in recent years, so while on the one hand resistance to MJ legalization earlier on was more strongly opposed in many minority communities than in many Anglo Communities, despite much smaller rates of overall drug consumption than Anglos (including even MJ), this pattern way well have shifted as increasingly it is viewed more as a "criminal justice reform" issue, rather than I want to get high because of entertainment/recreation versus medicinal needs.

IDK.... we probably won't see that many MJ related votes on the ballot this November because of the difficulty collecting signatures in the COVID-19 era....

Since I don't believe anybody has posted updates relating to the difficulties getting Marijuana reform initiatives in front of voters in November because of signatures for ballot initiatives in the COVID-19 era...

https://blog.norml.org/2020/04/23/state-of-the-states-2020-ballot-initiative-efforts/

There was an article that I read a few weeks back which talked about this as well, but forgot which news organization posted it.

So recreational marijuana will only be on the ballot in NJ, SD, and AZ, while medicinal will only be there in SD again and MS.

That IS a disappointment. However, NJ and AZ should both be able to pass. If Yes could get 48.7% in AZ in 2016, it can surely break 50% in 2020.

SD I'd be pessimistic about given ND 2 years ago, but who knows?

NJ and SD are both decently sized states, and NJ fully legalizing will really give a kick in the pants to NY and CT.

It certainly was. And the price increase from taxes and industrialization that shifts market opportunities from minorities certainly played a factor. Marijuana was de facto legal in California before the proposition passed.

Would have been a lot more without the virus. Very hard to collect signatures when you can't meet in person.

Montana and Nebraska are resuming signature gathering. I have no idea how feasible either of them are at this point.

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/nebraska-and-montana-marijuana-activists-resume-ballot-signature-gathering-amid-coronavirus/

I thought it'd be a lot less than that. Felt like the pot movement was slowing to a crawl even before COVID-19

Marijuana should be kept either decriminalized (but not fully legal) or criminalized depending on the state.

Majority of legislation to decriminalize/legalize marijuana recreationally do not recognized the threat of "modified" marijuana (marijuana with extra substances intending to enhance effects). Put someone high on that behind the wheel and they become a threat.

Totally inevitable of course, it's not like governments could have provided an an alternative alternative to dealers in exchange for regulations nipping their arms race in the bud in the first place.

So, the 21st amendment was a mistake?

That makes no sense, as it regards alcoholic beverages. Marijuana isn't alcohol.

Put someone drunk behund a wheel and they are also a threat.

Supposedly Montana is getting close to getting it on the ballot this year despite the COVID setback.

Signatures submitted in Montana - https://www.marijuanamoment.net/montana-activists-submit-130000-signatures-for-marijuana-legalization-initiatives-despite-coronavirus-setbacks/

What are the odds this passes?

If it makes it on the ballot I bet it passes. A recent poll showed 54-37 in favor, and Medical was voted on back in 2004 and it passed with almost 62%.

https://hightimes.com/news/cannabis-activists-in-arizona-and-nebraska-set-to-file-legalization-petitions/ (https://hightimes.com/news/cannabis-activists-in-arizona-and-nebraska-set-to-file-legalization-petitions/)

It looks like Arizona will be voting again this fall for full legalization, joining New Jersey and Montana.  Also, Nebraska might vote for medical legalization, depending if they get enough signatures.

I wonder what the last state to legalize it will be. Idaho?

I'd say Idaho, Iowa, Utah or Wisconsin based on how our state is being run right now.

Eh. I think with Illinois legalized, once Minnesota also legalizes (which shouldn't take too long), WI will be forced to or continue to bleed money from people crossing the border to buy stuff.

I mean, the two men in charge of the legislature don't believe in medical personally so they have said they wont' bring it up. One of them, Robin Vos, will be running for Governor in 2022 for so as long as the current cast stays in power nothing will change.

I bet it will be a very conservative state without voter-initiated referendums, like Tennessee, Alabama, or Indiana

I'd put money on Utah and Wyoming. Plus some southern state like Louisiana or Alabama

Virginia recently decriminalized cannabis. Now, it appears there may be a push to attempt full legalization as early as next month (during an assembly special session). If it doesn't get passed during the special session, it appears likely to be pushed during the next session, early next year.

https://wtop.com/virginia/2020/07/va-lawmaker-looks-to-legalize-marijuana-in-special-session/

Virginia, Maryland,  Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island should all just legalize in the same year so their dispensaries all around the same time, instead of staggering by a few years,  which would likely create a huge amount of people crossing state lines to buy.

As Arizona looks likely to have marijuana on the ballot in November, a new poll is out:

https://twitter.com/OHPredictive/status/1285545282957185030

Interestingly, the poll shows that support is roughly the same regardless of whether the respondent is from an urban, suburban or rural area.

It barely lost last time, almost a slam dunk this time.

Historically the no vote picks up a lot of strength in the months and weeks leading up to election day. If the yes vote isn't far ahead of the polls months ahead of time, it'll likely lose.

That said, I just don't see the no vote making up a 30 Point deficit, assuming this isn't some massive outlier.

I hear Montana will officially vote as well.

Yeah, full legalization is gonna be on the ballot in NJ, SD, MT, and AZ.

In addition, Medical Marijuana will be on the ballot in MS and SD (again...SD has BOTH medicinal and recreational on the ballot).

In addition, Oregon has a referendum to legalize medicinal psilocybin and a separate referendum to decriminalize (not legalize) all drugs.

If both Montana and Arizona approve their ballot questions, that will leave Idaho, New Mexico, Hawaii, Wyoming and Utah as the last states in the Western US region without legal marijuana.

MJ Legal Recreational should easily pass in NJ. MT, & AZ...

SD might well be another bag of Seedy Mexican Swag, where we get robbed short because just like first legalization initiatives in the '80s in the West, even "tokers" and "midnight smokers" might vote against to maintain illegal market share, combined with Gen Ex "Social Conservatives" who became "experienced" in the late '70s/ '80s and now that they got kids are worried about the "Gateway Drug"...

Regarding OR & Shrooms... this will likely pass by wide margins (Shrooms weren't illegal in OR until sometime in the late '80s)...

Wouldn't be shocked to see OR decriminalize all drugs, and quite frankly thought that LEA has been declining to prosecute many drug related charges for personal possession for some time....

https://twitter.com/GovernorTomWolf/status/1298265399469850633?s=20

probably not really going to go anywhere. But this is very interesting

What are the partisan breakdowns of urban, suburban, and rural Arizona? I'd imagine it's not as polarized as some other states.

NE won't be voting on medical marijuana after the Republicans paid a corrupt sheriff to file a complaint as a regular citizen calling it logrolling and more than one issue (trying to legalize and set a market). Rural joke state.

The Monmouth poll in AZ tested the 2020 amendment.
September 11-15
420 registered voters ;D
MoE: 4.8%

"There is a measure on the ballot that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana for adults 21 years of age or older and allow residents to grow up to six marijuana plants for personal use. Marijuana use would be banned in public and a 16 percent tax would be placed
on marijuana sold by licensed establishments. Will you vote for or against this measure?"

For 51%
Against 41%
Will not vote 3%
Don't know 5%

For comparison, here's the other measure they polled:

"Another measure on the ballot would impose a 3.5% surcharge on income tax rates paddy single tax filers making over $250,000 and joint filers making over $500,000. The addition funds will be used to hire and increase salaries of teachers and other school personnel. Will you vote for or against this measure?"

For 66%
Against 21%
Will not vote 1%
Don't know 7%

Places like CO and AZ had huge anti tax revolts in 90's. That last ballot measure is stunning.

The revolution lives on.

The D.C. Campaign to Decriminalise Nature has released (https://decrimnaturedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PollingResults_DC_Voter_Views_Initiative81.pdf) two FM3 Research nternals on the magic mushroom decriminalisation initiative on the city's ballot this year, although not the full details of the first as it's just there for trends. The August 16-24 figures (polling 620 likely voters at a 4% margin of error) are:

Yes 60% (+9)
No 24% (-3)
Unsure 16% (-6)

The trends are with a "March/April" poll.

It's going to be Idaho for sure. Wisconsin will bend to pressure from neighboring states, Iowa is one of the most pragmatic states and will legalize it for financial reasons, and Utah can be surprisingly progressive at times (2018 medical referendum).

Suffolk University has polled the AZ marijuana ballot initiative:

https://www.suffolk.edu/-/media/suffolk/documents/academics/research-at-suffolk/suprc/polls/other-states/2020/10_2_2020_tables_pdftxt.pdf

September 26-30, 2020
500 likely voters
MoE: 4.4%

Support Prop 207 46%
Oppose Prop 207 34%
Refused 1%
Undecided 19%

For comparison, they've also polled the other amendment:
"Second, Proposition 208 is called the “Invest in Education Act.” This law would create a new 3.5% tax surcharge on individuals with income over $250,000 or married couples with income over $500,000 to increase funding for public education. Will you support or oppose this ballot question?"

Support Prop 208 47%
Oppose Prop 208 37%
Refused 1%
Undecided 15%

Edit: OHPI have also released a recent survey on the matter, although their question reads, "Do you believe that marijuana should be legalized for adult use in the State of Arizona?" as opposed to spelling out the initiative to be voted on.

https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/hubfs/7453540/200908%20AZPOP/AZPOP%20Marijuana%20Crosstabs.pdf

September 8-10
600 likely voters
MoE: 4%
Changes with July 6-7 poll
Trends calculated pre-rounding

Yes (legalise) 46% (-15)
No 45% (+13)
Refused 0% (but some voters) (n/c from 0% with no voters)
Unsure/Undecided 9% (+3)

The South Dakota Chamber of Commerce organised a No Way on A anti-legalisation campaign against two initiatives on the ballot (Initiated Measure 26 legalises medical marjiuana and Amendment A legalises recreational marijuana). This group paid for a poll showing them squarely on the wrong side of the public on both counts:

https://eu.argusleader.com/story/news/2020/09/18/poll-most-south-dakota-voters-support-legalizing-marijuana/5828238002/

Public Opinion Strategies (partisan sponsor)
June 27-30 (what are the odds they polled several times and gave up on waiting for better results to release?  ;D )

Initiated Measure 26 - 70% approval
Amendment A - ~60% approval

In response to the OHPI poll showing support for legal recreational marijuana only leading by 1%, the Smart and Safe Act's campaign has released an internal for the AZ measure:

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/mixed-arizona-marijuana-polls-raise-questions-about-legalization-ballot-measures-prospects/

Conducted by Strategies 360
September 24-29
800 likely voters
MoE: 3.5%
With leaners, on prop. 207 specifically:

YES 57%
NO 38%
Completely undecided 5%

Edit: I'm adding the new DKC analytics poll of the NJ measure here so as not to clutter up the forum.

https://cannabislaw.report/nj-law-firm-brach-eichler-survey-reveals-65-voters-in-the-state-want-legal-cannabis/

DKC Analytics
Brach Eichler sponsored it but they are fully behind the measure so treat this as an internal
September 8-16
501 likely voters
MoE: 4.4%
Changes with August 5-13 poll (for the same sponsor)

On S.2703:
SUPPORT 65% (-1)
OPPOSE 29% (+2)
Unsure 6% (-1)

We could very well be looking at a clean sweep for legalization initiatives.

I believe Mississippi has a medicinal one on the ballot. I'm curious how that'll go

Vermont just legalized cannabis sales  + automatic expungement of convictions:

https://twitter.com/tomangell/status/1313979596178698240

SD will be a stretch, I would not be surprised if it lost. I expect MS to pass medical easily, even there.

FDU has polled the NJ initiative: http://publicmind.fdu.edu/2020/201009/final.pdf

September 30 - October 5
582 likely voters
MoE: 4.6% among likely voters

Yes 59%
No 30%
Refused 0% (but some voters)
Don't know 11%

Montana state university (Bozeman) has polled the initiatives

https://www.ktvh.com/news/election-2020/msu-poll-bullock-rosendale-gianforte-leading-slightly-trump-up-by-7-in-mt

September 14 to October 2
1615 likely voters
MoE: 3.9%

YES 49%
NO 39%
Will not vote on this 2%
Don't know 12%

Edit: more details here: https://helpslab.montana.edu/index.html

OHPI poll of Arizona:
https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/hubfs/7453540/201005_AZPOP/PR_Arizona%20Public%20Opinion%20Pulse%20Toplines%20and%20Crosstabs%20(1).pdf

October 4-8
608 likely voters
MoE: 3.97%

Prop 207 (actually polled as opposed to just whether recreational marijuana should be legal)
Support 55%
Oppose 37%
Refused 1%
Unsure 7%

Prop 208 - education funding
Support 55%
Oppose 39%
Refused 0% (but some voters)
Unsure 6%

Monmouth poll of Arizona:
https://www.monmouth.edu/polling-institute/documents/monmouthpoll_az_101520.pdf/

October 11-13
502 registered voters
MoE: 4.4%
Changes with September 11-15

Prop 207
For 56% (+5)
Against 36% (-5)
Will not vote on this 0% (but some voters) (-3)
Don't know 7% (+1)

Prop 208 - education funding
For 60% (-6)
Against 34% (+9)
Will not vote on this 1% (n/c)
Don't know 5% (-2)

The NJ amendment looks pretty tough to beat.

https://stockton.edu/hughes-center/polling/documents/2020-1016-stockton-poll-biden-booker-lead-trump-stronger-in-sj.pdf

October 7-13
721 likely voters
MoE: 3.7%

Favour 66%
Oppose 23%
Undecided/not sure 10%

https://www.investorideas.com/news/2020/cannabis/10202New-Jersey-Low-Level-Marijuana-Convictions.asp

Another poll by DKC Analytics for Brach Eichler, which supports the amendment:

October 5-13
500 likely voters
MoE: 4.4%
Changes with September 8-16

Support 65% (n/c)
Oppose 29% (n/c)
Unsure 6% (n/c)

Unfortunate, I expected better from my state, oh well...

Don’t get too down yet. With 10% undecided, NJ could vote 75% in favor, which I’d be extremely proud of, and could hopefully accelerate legalization efforts across the country.

It's probably the most boring of the 4 states, but I'd be curious in a poll on South Dakota's ballot measure.

I'm most unsure how that state will vote on it

https://norml.org/blog/2020/09/21/south-dakota-opposition-groups-polling-shows-voter-support-for-marijuana-legalization-initiatives/

Medical: 70% support
Recreational: 60% support

according to opposition group's poll, so not sure what to make of that.

Most boring in terms of what?

Sure, a lot of right wingers in the state, but I love my state.  Wide, open spaces, lots of awesome tourist destinations in the western part of the state, etc.

I guess in terms of interest/attention in the pot measure. More attention has been put on Arizona & Jersey, perhaps even Montana with its history of pot measures

Perhaps.  I haven't heard much about it despite living in South Dakota.  We did attempt to legalize medical marijuana in 2010, I believe, though.  Failed spectacularly.

Mason-Dixon poll of SD: https://eu.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/10/24/argus-leader-kelo-tv-south-dakota-marijuana-poll/6012860002/

October 19-21
625 likely voters
MoE: 4%

Medicinal marijuana referendum
Yes 74%
No 23%
Undecided 3%

Recreational marijuana referendum
Yes 51%
No 44%
Undecided 5%

If SD goes from fully illegal (but decriminalised) marijuana to full legalisation, it's going to make for some surreal moments.

Also, it'll be interesting to see what legalisation does to the regional politics on the issue. If MT and SD have both legalised, does it become harder to enforce in ID, ND, NE etc, leading to a shift in policy and speed up the trend towards legalisation in across the Great Plains?

You would think that is how it'd work, but in other regions this does not seem to be the case. Politicians who have never known a pro-legalization world in their formative years simply can't bring themselves to do it. Even with Vermont, at least its initial legalization measure was half-baked. New Jersey couldn't agree and sent it to the voters. Other states opted to sit around and "study" the issue more (aka do nothing). Illinois is the only one who fully pulled the trigger.

We really need movement at the federal level to stop giving obstinate politicians the muh federal govt prohibition excuse.

That makes a lot of sense.

If a Biden DOJ was to move to alter enforcement again, or Congress altered it's classification the Illegal Substances Act, would that be enough to alter policy at the state level?

A move to decriminalise at the federal level would presumably change the tenor of the conversation, but it feels like the states still hold all the cards to enact more permanent reform at this point.

OH Predictive Insights polled for Arizona: https://f.hubspotusercontent40.net/hubfs/7453540/Arizona%20Public%20Opinion%20Pulse%20(AZPOP)%20Toplines%20and%20Crosstabs%20(2).pdf

October 22-25
716 likely voters
MoE: 3.7%
Changes with October 4-8

Support 60% (+5)
Oppose 36% (-1)
Refused 0% (but some voters) (-1)
Unsure 4% (-3)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14k1Rtcxamdn-4xUFAPpIcTAzAaRHala0wAAlnEUJy5E/edit#gid=0

NJ Rutgers-Eagleton poll of the marijuana initiative:

October 19-24
861 likely voters
MoE: 4%

For 61%
Against 34%
Don't know 5%

Nielson Brothers polling of SD:

https://www.southdacola.com/blog/2020/11/survey-nielson-brothers-polling-nbp-statewide-survey-october-24-28-2020/

Oct 24-28

Medical marijuana
462 likely voters, MoE: 4.61%

For 57
Against 33
Unsure 9

Recreational marijuana
455 likely voters, MoE: 4.59%

For 48
Against 43
Unsure 8

Mississippi marijuana winning in a landslide

SD looking good for legalization!

()

OR Drug related initiatives appear to be a clear rejection on the "War on Drugs".

()

Relatively closely tracking with the Biden > Trump wins in OR thus far

NJ's cannabis vote currently at about 2/3 saying YES
https://elections.ap.org/dailykos/results/2020-11-03/state/NJ/race/I/raceid/31679

https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1323879300618215427
Holy crap South Dakota

Looks like every legal marijuana ballot question passed. Nice.

So how quickly do SD GOP try and subvert the will of the people?

I will help in the fight for this against old boomers that don't want it.

Witnesses 2020

The electorate: Yeah. I'm hitting the blunt.

Since we're legalizing cannabis everywhere maybe people will chill the hell out.

South Dakota was the real shock. It's winning 54-46 (a similar margin to most other marijuana legalization initiatives) in a state Trump's winning by 62-36. Why did this pass relatively easily while the initiative in ND two years ago went down in a landslide defeat?

It likes like the final margin in Arizona isn't going to be much different from the current 60-40 lead it has right now, a record margin apart from NJ. That's a huge shift from the 2016 initiative. As for NJ, current reporting is only 78% of expected votes, so we'll see if the current massive 67-33 margin holds.

What's the next state to approve? I think New York and Nebraska.

Nebraska should have been this year but the GOP killed it in the state SC.

Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Mexico are some other possibilities.

My gut tells me it's gonna be held up in New York for years.

New Mexico, Minnesota, Maryland, New Hampshire and perhaps even Wyoming (They have a libertarian streak) are likely to legalize within the decade, probably sooner rather than later. I would also say Hawaii but I'm pretty sure older Asians/Pacific Islanders, along with older Hispanics are the most anti weed demographic in the country.

I suspect most east coast liberal states will legalize within the next two years, given NJ’s upcoming market. PA and FL would be smart to have it on the ballot in 2022 to maximize youth turnout in the midterms. In fact, can we get someone of these Dem 420 celebs to fund ballot drives in potential 2022 swing states?

Wisconsin sadly doesn't have it available and the Republicans in charge don't think it should be legal so it won't even be brought up for a vote.

My first thought with seeing South Dakota passing a legalization initiative was that it could probably pass anywhere outside the South and Utah. I'm not sure why the 2018 North Dakota initiative went down in massive defeat. Arizona, California, and Oregon all had initiatives defeated before regrouping and passing them within a few years. The 2015 Ohio initiative was fatally flawed for two big reasons: attempting it in an odd year, but more importantly the initiative was very poorly written. I'm surprised they haven't tried again there, as I'm sure it would easily pass.

Florida would be a very hard lift because of the 60% threshold for ballot initiatives and also the age component on this issue, which is very real. So far, the only states that have cleared that threshold are New Jersey (easily) and Arizona (barely).

I'm pretty sure the only legislature so far to legalize through the normal legislative process (as opposed to ballot initiative) is Vermont (and incidentally signed into law by Governor Phil Scott). I'm not really sure what so many Democratic legislators are afraid of. I have a hard time seeing any significant number of Republican legislators come out in support of legalization outside of New England or Wyoming.

It sounds like Rhode Island is going to push ahead and try to pass a legalization bill in the next session.

Illinois did it through the legislature as well, and in one fell swoop unlike Vermont.

Given how close it came in NM last year, and how many of its biggest opponents in the Dem Party lost their primaries, I fully expect NM to legalize marijuana in 2021. Especially now that it has TWO neighbors, AZ and CO, which have legalized.

Virginia governor pushes to legalize marijuana


https://apnews.com/article/ralph-northam-legislation-marijuana-virginia-3369fd0d37a364ce1a79aa8fdc5d34a2 (https://apnews.com/article/ralph-northam-legislation-marijuana-virginia-3369fd0d37a364ce1a79aa8fdc5d34a2)

I wouldn't be surprised if a bunch of states in "Wait and see" mode end up pulling the trigger (Or at least making pronouncements) sooner than later due to the clean sweep of this months' ballot measures.


The 2021 Virginia elections could be very interesting when it comes to the future of legalization there. I don't know how support is within the state legislature, but I'd imagine it hinges on whether the state has any 2009/2017-esque electoral complications (State control zooming to the opposite party that's in the White House).

As someone with growing interest in moving out there, I'll certainly be keeping an eye on this!


How does sentiment look in Maryland? I don't know nearly enough about their politics, but I feel they're a state that's stayed relatively quiet on this issue. Is most of the support centralized in Baltimore or something? I wonder how much their tune could change if the next congress allows DC to open up dispensaries.

If I remember correctly, one of the differences between Northam and Perriello was whether marijuana should be legalized only medicinally or recreationally, with Northam taking the moderate hero position. A medical marijuana bill passed this year, but there are no dispensaries open and the ones they have planned are very sparse given the size of the state (I think only five or six were planned, and the nearest one in my neck of the woods was planned for the Richmond area.)

Glad to see Northam sees the light on this issue. More Democrats should follow. There's no point in not capitalizing on an issue that enjoys support from broad swaths of the electorate, including a majority of Republicans under 40.

The legalization map is getting crazy. Utah is now 3/4 surrounded by legal recreational states. Idaho, where CBD is still illegal, borders 4 legal states. Wyoming borders 3 legal states. New Hampshire is completely surrounded by legal states.

NJ police have a long history of harassing black men at disproportionate levels due to pot possession. I am glad that is over. NY has a similar problem and it needs to act fast to legalize it too.

They won't legalize for awhile, they'll bitch to the Feds instead because of "all the pot coming through".

Oh, I know. Not saying they will.

Connecticut might pull a New Jersey and just put legalization on the ballot in 2022 if the legislature doesn't pass it.

Connecticut Lawmakers Will Put Marijuana Legalization On The Ballot If Legislature Rejects Bill

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/connecticut-lawmakers-will-put-marijuana-legalization-on-the-ballot-if-legislature-rejects-bill/

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/04/business/cannabis-more-act-house-vote/index.html (https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/04/business/cannabis-more-act-house-vote/index.html) -  The house just voted to decriminalize marijuana.  Given how 2020 has been, I don’t have high hopes for it in the Senate. However, there are seven GOP senators from states where it is legal. Any senators interested in running in 2024 might vote strategically for it. So IDK.

Just legalize already. Would drive prices down.

I don't have a personal stake in marijuana legalisation (beyond a desire to see incarcerations for frivolous offences decline), but I'm interested in where the legalisation movement goes next.

As far as legislature-based action, there are six Dem trifecta states which have not legalised recreational marijuana:
- New York
- New Mexico
- Delaware
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
- Virginia

Is there any chance these states move forward with legislation in the 2021-22 session? Or will legislators (and Governors up for re-election in 2022) still view it as a damaging move for their re-election chances?

Or will it just be down to ballot measures again? I know that the scope for further ballot measures is getting smaller, given that many of those states with decent ballot measure laws have already held referenda on the subject.

I appreciate this is far from the priority right now, (given the ongoing health situation) but I was just interested if there has been any further talk. European data law prevents me reading most US newsmedia beyond the NYT and WaPo, so I'm starved of any regional news at the minute.

In New York, Cuomo recently said he'll try to push legalization bills through this year. I'm not sure what the prospects are in the state legislature, but the pressure may have heightened a little due to now bordering 3 legalized states + Canada.

I feel Delaware, Rhode Island & Connecticut are the next states to legalize, but it may take a back seat for a bit due to COVID.

In Virginia, Northam has also recently made strong overtures towards passing legalization. I'm in wait-and-see mode with them until the results of the November elections.

Thanks!

I'll definitely keep an eye on NY in that case...

I think NY and NM are the most likely possibilities this year, although I've heard the Governors/House speakers in all of the above states say it's a priority.

Here's a good article summarizing them: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/these-states-are-the-most-likely-to-legalize-marijuana-in-2021/

Thanks, that was an interesting read - maybe a little optimistic in places, but a really nice breakdown of the current landscape, and the current word from state officials on the matter.

NY and NM definitely make a lot of sense as the next two states to move ahead. Politically, a lot of State Reps/Senators in those states are likely to be bolstered, rather than hurt by action on legalisation, and their governors both seem keen to be able to run on their legalisation efforts in '22.

Also, both make a lot of sense geographically. Given the way things are moving out west, it feels like an inevitability in NM now, giving their increasingly being boxed in by states like AZ and CO that have legalised. And in NY, enforcement will presumably get much harder now, given legalisation in NJ and much of New England. On a similar note, once NY legalises recreational use, I imagine it will force the hand of CT and RI.

CT Gov Lamont wants legalization, and the new State House Speaker estimates that the chance of passage in 2021 are 50-50; if it doesn't pass, then it would be on the ballot in 2022. https://www.marijuanamoment.net/connecticut-governor-renews-pledge-to-pursue-marijuana-legalization-in-2021-state-of-the-state-speech/ (https://www.marijuanamoment.net/connecticut-governor-renews-pledge-to-pursue-marijuana-legalization-in-2021-state-of-the-state-speech/)

Rhode Island probably won't be this year. If Raimondo gets confirmed to be Secretary of Commerce, her Lt. Governor McKee is against legalization. https://www.marijuanamoment.net/bidens-commerce-secretary-pick-wants-marijuana-sold-in-government-run-stores/ (https://www.marijuanamoment.net/bidens-commerce-secretary-pick-wants-marijuana-sold-in-government-run-stores/)

IIRC, a lone ancient conservadem in the NM Senate who was the pivotal vote in holding up legalization (maybe in committee) was beat in a primary this year by a young progressive. Decent sign of hope.

Noem has launched a lawsuit, supported by executive action, to try and get the referendum on legalization overturned...

Virginia may actually beat NM and NY to the punch.

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/virginia-marijuana-legalization-bills-cleared-for-full-senate-and-house-votes-this-week/

https://twitter.com/C_Herring/status/1357735461427568641?s=20
https://twitter.com/AJFriedenberger/status/1357815634885763074?s=20

It won't go into effect until 2023/2024. But this would make Virginia the 16th state to legalize recreational marijuana, the first Southern state to legalize & the third state to legalize via legislature (Along with Illinois & Vermont).


https://www.marijuanamoment.net/virginia-house-approves-marijuana-legalization-bill-with-senate-vote-coming-soon/

Where does it say that?

Sorry, the Marijuana Moment link doesn't include it. Here's from a Washington Post article:



https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginia-marijuana-legalization/2021/02/04/8d6fc33e-6707-11eb-8c64-9595888caa15_story.html

Has any state actually implemented legalization? If so, what’s it like living there?

You mean among the recently legal states (AZ/IL/MI/MT/VT) or any state? Cause we've had legal sales for the last 3 years, CO & WA for the last 7 years.

At least for California, I feel we've bungled it quite a bit:


- No more than a third of municipalities allow legal sales; Some regions, such as the South San Jaoquin Valley, have become 'cannabis deserts' where you have to drive quite a ways to buy legal weed. According to WeedMaps, the nearest dispensary to Bakersfield is 70 miles way. Until last year, I had to drive 20 miles & a county over to buy legally (Even though my county & city voted for legal weed).

- High sales taxes which vary greatly by city and/or county. The state tacks on a 27% cannabis tax + 8% general sales tax + whatever the city/county taxes. What's listed as $25 can end up being $40 when taxes are included.

- Incredibly slow process of business licenses being approved; Leading to little social equity, chains who got in early (Such as MedMen) comprising a significant portion of the legal market & smaller landowners being in financial/legal limbo for the last 2-4 years.


All those problems have led to a black market that hasn't shrunk since Prop 64, county raids of illegal grows to "protect the medicinal recreational market" & lighter-than-expected tax revenue. Basically, little seems to have changed since legalization went into effect.

Are there any states that you think have handled it well?

Sadly, I'm not as well-informed as I used to be on the state-by-state implementation of legalization (Outside of my own). If NOVA Green stumbles upon this thread, I'd love to hear his thoughts on how the Pacific NW has handled legalization.

Colorado seems to have a decent amount of access statewide, though just as many cities have banned sales as California (Percentage-wise). Nevada seems to adapted quite well which probably shouldn't be a surprise. Though I'm not sure any state has handled the social equity aspect of pot businesses well at all (If anyone can share otherwise, please let me know).

Depending on the upcoming elections, I'm confident in Virginia's ability to improve on prior states' implementation. Comparatively speaking and from what I've been reading, I'm far less confident in New York whenever they decide to legalize.

Interesting article from the British Medical Journal (one of the most reputable scientific journals, both here and in the international rankings), that lays out a link between cannabis legalisation and decreased opioid deaths in the US:

https://www.bmj.com/company/newsroom/legal-cannabis-stores-linked-to-fewer-opioid-deaths-in-the-united-states/


Also, here's a Politico article, laying out efforts to push medical marijuana through in Nebraska and Idaho, in addition to improving legislation in KS, SC, KY and AL to support the medical program. There's some interesting stuff about Gov. Kelly's work in Kansas in particular.

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/12/medical-marijuana-state-laws-468937

After all this time in NJ (including stupid fights within the legislature and between the legislature and governor):

https://twitter.com/GovMurphy/status/1363913371993661441

 https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/27/virginia-le (https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/27/virginia-le)

Virginia is state #16 to legalize! Sales are due to start in 2024.

^ For a second, I thought you typed NH instead of NM.

It's honestly amusing how much of a glacial pace the "Live Free or Die" state has been on cannabis, to where there's a good chance they'll last state in the northeast to legalize (Even including Pennsylvania & the Virginias)

 https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/25/us/new-york-recreational-marijuana-deal-trnd/index.html (https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/25/us/new-york-recreational-marijuana-deal-trnd/index.html) New York could be next! Lawmakers have reached a deal for legalization. It was even on the cover of the NY daily news today.

https://twitter.com/NYSenate/status/1377038205468442635

One chamber done. The Assembly is expected to pass the bill tonight.

What is going on in safe Democratic Hawaii? They are the only Pacific state not to legalize and are behind South Dakota of all states.

Almost legal in NY, just waiting on Cuomo's signature!

Cuomo signed the bill into law this morning

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ny-marijuana-legalization-weed_n_606485abc5b6d5b7a694e453

I smoked at 4:20 to celebrate.

Seems like it was a much bigger deal when Virginia legalized vs New York. I'm seeing a lot more headlines about Cuomo's book deal than I have NY legalizing pot.



Not to be outdone, it looks like the Governor of New Mexico will be putting pen to paper very soon too.

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-mexico-marijuana-legalization-bill-heads-to-governors-desk/

Virginia legislature speeds up pot legalization to this summer (https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/07/virginia-pot-legalization-479806)

From 2024, to before the end of this year.

Freedom State.

Seems like only possession and personal cultivation becomes legal this summer, whereas the actual business sales will still start in 2024. It's a freedom move by Northam and better than the previous language that had everything switch over in 2024, but it's still boneheaded and stupid if you ask me. Why exactly do they need nearly 3 years to let businesses start selling cannabis? I don't really get why Virginia lawmakers (re: Democrats) like long deadlines on new policy. They had same-day registration start after 2022, and that was enacted in early 2020. Other states have demonstrated the ability to get both these kinds of policy changes rolling in a year or less, so this is just, like, cautiousness bordering on foot-dragging.

And if I'm reading it right, another freedom move is making towns/counties do a public referendum if they want to prohibit dispensaries from operating in their area. If voters reject the ban, it can't be asked again. If they approve it, it can be repealed only 4 years (or more) later.

I've always loathed the amount of local control given in other legalization measures, especially when legalized via ballot initiative. You end up with counties / towns that vote to legalize but end up with their local governments banning sales of it anyway, because local politicians think their opinion matters more than the majority of their own constituents who voted for it.

So is this where we are now? Among the states where recreational pot has been approved:



I assume none of the referenda passed last year has gone fully into effect yet, or at least no pot shops are currently open.

60% shade = Recreationally legal
50% shade = On track to being recreationally legal
40% shade = Legally ambiguous/Other

Noem and the Atlas poster-turned-killer AG are fighting legalization in SD. VT allows personal ownership/growth but no legal infrastructure for businesses.

DC I wasn't too sure about. The voters legalized it there, but noted fascist non-DCer Andy Harris is blocking it from going into effect.

A bill died in their House this year. Really not sure what's going on there.

At least we just need a sig in NM to make it legal, so not sure what the holdup is there as well.

A wave of freedom stretching from the Pacific to the heartland.

Another reason to hate scumbag *ge. Also, please censor slurs on this site. Thank you.

Ige Ige Ige

Jason Ravnsborg was a atlas user?

Yup, many years ago. Around 2004-ish.

It's legal in Nebraska's Second Congressional District?!

Some news from the Hill that I didn't want to post as its own thread, because the usual suspects will call leftists who disagree with Biden on pot white privileged or whatever:

Although the Biden administration has at least gestured towards reform, toning down the policy against staffers who answer honestly to past marijuana use (https://www.marijuanamoment.net/marijuana-related-firings-in-biden-white-house-represent-antiquated-response-congressman-says/).

But Biden still hasn't changed his stance, although Schumer is moving forward with the legalization bill anyway. (https://www.vox.com/22387746/biden-marijuana-weed-legalization-schumer-polls?fbclid=IwAR3Xr71kqWVN4JHnt_ucT_qy7C4kYdEBg4inKuXqLYe4m-hO3ObN39hSSPo)

I have a very hard time seeing Biden actually veto a bill that should receive at least some Republican support. Five Republican senators come from states where pot is legal, plus a handful would vote to let the states regulate it anyway.

Two-thirds of Americans support legalization including 55% of Republicans. There is nothing for either party to gain by opposing it.

Biden wouldn't veto it, but it'll never make it to his desk.

That said, every state that legalizes does change the incentives for its officeholders and it becomes more and more pressure.

I don't mind waiting for a federal legalization bill. The genie is already out of the bottle and it's only a matter of time.

What should be the #1 priority is a federal banking bill for states that have legalized medicinally and/or recreationally. I find the cash-only aspect to be a more significant point of contention than anything regarding gateway drugs or reefer madness.

Well I'll be damned... Louisiana?!?

Minnesota House voted to legalize last night 72-61!

Nebraska will probably be next to legalize via ballot initiative next year. (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/12/nebraska-gov-pete-ricketts-legal-marijuana-kill-your-kids/4663466001/) Pretty gross of Ricketts to prop up big tobacco by literally telling people "big marijuana" is going to kill your kids.

Yeah but the senate won't even vote on it

Meanwhile, in the worst state in America, MS, the SC reversed the medical marihuana initiative because "the process for ballot referendum is outdated'.

Maryland and Delaware should be slam dunks (state house/senate overwhelming Dem) in the near future.

CT senate approved 19-17, House still needs to approve it before the session ends tomorrow though.

Yesterday, the Connecticut Senate passed a House-amended version of the bill by a vote of 16-11. It now heads to Gov. Lamont who intends on signing it next week.

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/connecticut-marijuana-legalization-bill-heads-to-governors-desk/


Also, he may have a celebratory joint with that in the future:

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/connecticut-governor-says-hes-open-to-smoking-marijuana-after-he-signs-legalization-bill/



EDIT: Well damn. I guess the coast wasn't clear :p

I wonder if we’ll have any other states legalizing this year. Rhode Island, Delaware, and Hawaii all have a democratic trifecta, and so might be more likely than either with a Republican governor or legislature.

Rhode Island would be the likliest. The Governor of Delaware is anti-legalization and has implied that he'd veto it, while Hawaii won't do it for some reason.

Delaware will certainly legalize in the next 2-4 years though

RI Senate approves recreational marijuana bill

https://www.wpri.com/news/politics-government/ri-senate-approves-recreational-marijuana-bill/

The states with marijuana legalized are at 230 electoral votes.

Basically it’s only a matter of time with New Hampshire, Hawaii, Delaware, and Maryland. Are there any more purple states that have referendums? Or are we going to have wait 10 or 15 years for big urban southern states?

Article says the House won't look at it until MAYBE in a fall special session but the two chambers are way off and the Governor says it's not a priority to "race" MA and CT. So they're being dumb.

I think Kentucky and West Virginia could get it before the big southern states. Poor states where pot can grow easily would be a huge cash cow that might be tough to resist. Andy Beshear is up in 2023… he could run promising marijuana legalization. Jim Justice used to be a Democrat, And it’s still a billionaire. The marijuana industry is a multibillion dollar industry, which could be huge for the state with the second-lowest GDP per capita. Justice can’t run in 2024, but he could run in 2028, when he would be 77. Not unheard of, but I think more than likely Justice retires from public in 2024, and what a better way of extending his legacy and prosperity as more than just being a billionaire.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/irisdorbian/2021/06/23/with-neighbor-connecticut-legalizing-pot-rhode-island-could-be-next/?sh=2a8f406b5263

If Rhode Island gets it done, then it will only be New Hampshire left in New England.

Gotta love the "Live Free or Die" state

I bet Missouri, Ohio, North Dakota, and possibly Maryland will have referendums in 2022.

Maryland will try and get it on the 2022 ballot.

Seem to recall from reading High Times back in the late '80s and early-mid '90's about what a huge %  of Buds supplying the Midwest Market were outdoor grow ops in KY and WV.

Additionally, and perhaps slightly more anecdotally, Outdoor MJ growers in places in Southern and SE OH, would shift to growing plants in the Corn Fields, where with the high level of Machine-Based agricultural production vs labor-intensive, it would be really easy to slip under the radar, especially with the height of the Corn, where one could throw in a few small patches here and there and grab them prior to harvest season, without any fear of the "Skybirds" and "Helicopters", and generally air surveillance we used to face way back in the '80s in places like OR, WA, and CA for outdoor grow ops that sent some of my HS Friends parents to Prison way back in the dayz...

Passing it over to you in the form of a portrait of an artist as a young man....

()

A brief review of marijuana and psychedelics referendums that could be on the ballot next year: (https://www.marijuanamoment.net/these-states-could-have-marijuana-and-psychedelics-legalization-on-the-ballot-in-2022/)

Arkansas: Activists are collecting signatures to place full adult-use legalization on the 2022 ballot.

California: Activists recently filed a petition for the 2022 ballot to make the state the first in the nation to legalize psilocybin mushrooms for any use. Cultivation, sale, social sharing, and on-site consumption would all be legal.

Idaho: State officials recently cleared activists to begin collecting signatures for possession of up to three ounces of marijuana on private property for adults 21 and older. This is similar to Vermont's law, I believe, which allows cultivation and consumption but not sales or marketing. (There are a few of these here.) Medical should also be on the ballot.

Maryland: Hogan has suggested openness to the idea of marijuana being on the ballot next year. Dems in the legislature are working on that.

Mississippi: Not much here. A campaign might start if the legislature fails to pass a medical cannabis law, after the voters overwhelmingly approved in what I guess was a non-binding referendum, or if they pass one with weak consumer protections.

Nebraska: Activists want to get something on the ballot, otherwise nothing much so far.

North Dakota: Activists want another shot after the 2018 legalization referendum failed. The legislature is a bit more pro-weed than you would expect from such a Republican body, but ultimately the Senate killed a House-passed bill for legalization.

Ohio: Another cultivation/personal ownership law may be on the ballot, but not full legalization. Adults may possess 2.5 ounces of cannabis, and they could also have up to 15 grams of marijuana concentrates. Individuals could grow up to six plants for personal use, with a maximum 12 plants per household.

Oklahoma: Full legalization of sale and consumption and medical might be on the ballot. Signature gathering fell short last year due to COVID.

South Dakota: Activists are filing for four separate, similar ballot initiatives and a fifth one that would prevent the Supreme Court from overturning again.

Wyoming: Activists are seeking measures to decriminalize adult-use and legalize medical.

Most people in Oregon currently in the MJ Industry do not discuss their prior experiences as "OGs" back in the days.

When the Timber economy in Oregon collapsed in the late '70s / early mid '8os when the unemployment levels shot through the roof as part of the Reagan Recession, many of our parents, co-workers, and relatives shifted to cultivation of Marijuana in order to be able to support rural communities, a trend which accelerated dramatically by the Mid-Late '80s.

Techniques involved to combat the increased use of Air Surveillance and Recon, as well as other measures that the LEA used such as monitoring Water and Electrical bills in rural properties, raiding hydroponic shops to seize their customer lists.

Operation Ghost Dancer was a program which directly fell under the DoD budgets in order to directly support Marijuana related eradication programs in Oregon and elsewhere...

Most likely none of you have ever experienced regular military helicopters flying low consistently in your home towns to such an extent that for many of us it was more akin to Vietnam, even as younger kids growing up in that era...

Y'all really need to check out this document from the Lt Col. (now declassified) to realize how easy it was from one President of the US to basically mobilize Federal forces against a bunch of small MJ growers in the US.... (Sure I know that Washington might have had some precedent with the Whiskey Rebellion in Western PA, but that was so 1790s...

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/defenseissues/marijuana/ADA234053.pdf

My strong take is that this is being done to attempt preempting a far more expensive legalization ballot initiative.

Rhode Island is likely next -  https://www.marijuanamoment.net/rhode-island-marijuana-legalization-bill-will-be-ready-in-early-2022-top-lawmaker-says/ (https://www.marijuanamoment.net/rhode-island-marijuana-legalization-bill-will-be-ready-in-early-2022-top-lawmaker-says/)

NH is supposed to be the 'Live free or die' state, but it is going to be the last state in New England without legal marijuana after RI legalizes it.

Ohio takes a step forward with its marijuana legalization initiative (https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/2022/01/28/ohio-marijuana-ballot-initiative-heads-legislature-signatures/9254644002/):


This seems likely to go before voters in November. I have a hard time seeing a proposal like this failing in reddish-purple state like Ohio. It would the be the fourth largest state to legalize marijuana if it passes.

An update on the Ohio effort (https://www.marijuanamoment.net/ohio-marijuana-legalization-will-have-to-go-on-ballot-if-its-going-to-pass-ohio-senate-president-says/):

It will have to go to the people if it's going to become law. From what I've read, it seems like the petitioners have their work cut out for them. They'll have about five weeks starting at the end of May to get the necessary signatures.

If Maryland and Delaware pass, then there’ll be pressure on PA, since it’ll be surrounded to the south, east, and north by states that have recreational sales. Although that hasn’t stopped RI or NH.

True, however by this logic, there should be pressure on Idaho, Wyoming and Utah.

RI will probably legalize soon.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/rhode-island-lawmakers-unveil-marijuana-legalization-bill-after-months-of-negotiations/ (https://www.marijuanamoment.net/rhode-island-lawmakers-unveil-marijuana-legalization-bill-after-months-of-negotiations/)

Idaho rejected a constitutional amendment to ban cannabis last year -  https://apnews.com/article/legislature-constitutions-legislation-marijuana-boise-30e825b92b0e4b667a431fa54c7da2a7 (https://apnews.com/article/legislature-constitutions-legislation-marijuana-boise-30e825b92b0e4b667a431fa54c7da2a7) - and there is a group trying to get it on the ballot this November.

The Wyoming House Speaker supported bipartisan legislation to decriminalize just two weeks ago -  https://www.marijuanamoment.net/wyoming-house-speaker-backs-new-bill-to-decriminalize-marijuana/ (https://www.marijuanamoment.net/wyoming-house-speaker-backs-new-bill-to-decriminalize-marijuana/)

And Utah has medical. These states are much more conservative than Pennsylvania, and most other places that have recreational, so it’ll take some time, but I’m optimistic. States can only go so long letting residents drive over their border to create tax revenue in another states.

Maryland appears likely to be the next state to approve recreational.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-pol-maryland-voters-recreational-marijuana-20220401-4gonjdq6orc47cyzadgfb3ctlm-story.html

The House passed legalizing marijuana 220-204. However, it looks stalled in the Senate due to the bill not addressing criminal justice aspects.

Hopefully this encourages Pennsylvania and Delaware to follow suit. One has to assume that as more states legalize it, their neighbors will see that it does not increase social harm, and that they’re leaving a lot of tax revenue on the table by forcing their residents to drive to neighboring states to buy.

https://www.wdel.com/news/long-overdue-delaware-senate-passes-marijuana-legalization-sending-it-carneys-desk/article_03e11efa-d228-11ec-934c-db46c528cfef.html

Delaware Senate passes marijuana legalization, sending it Carney's desk

The governor could still veto it, though.

Looks like he is planning on using his veto

https://twitter.com/MereNewman/status/1529129924396781569?t=Mm7zTDLMgDa3PovUKkwY...

Meanwhile, Rhode Island's legislature has just taken the final steps towards legalization:

https://twitter.com/StephMachado/status/1529224070683930625

South Dakota to vote on cannabis legalization (again) this November

https://twitter.com/tomangell/status/1529559639112687617?cxt=HHwWgoCxgemYi7oqAAA...

Are activists confident that this referendum, if it passes, won’t also get overturned?

And today, Rhode Island became the 19th state to legalize cannabis!

https://mobile.twitter.com/NaomiKritzer/status/1542658121742557185
lol

Maybe the Republicans should resign when they admit they didn't read what they approved?

Missouri will be the fifth state to vote on legalization this November; along with North Dakota, South Dakota, Maryland & Oklahoma.

https://twitter.com/stltoday/status/1557106193038036992?cxt=HHwWgMC-maX1-ZsrAAAA

Honestly I think this prolly passes. It seems to be an issue that tends to do universally well with Dems and a lot of rural populists GOP counties.

The reason the last referendum was overturned was because of some extreme and arguably politicized ruling that the measure violated a one issue provision for South Dakota referendum. The state supreme court specifically held that because the measure both legalized marijuana and created a system/regulations for its sale/use, this was somehow two separate issues that should have been handled in two separate referendum. Utterly ridiculous of course, but presumably the drafters of this referendum have addressed it.

I wonder how these will fare? South Dakota is unlikely to turn down a referendum it past just 2 years ago. North Dakota is not exactly its political twin so I could see it being a close fight there. Maryland is surely a lock for passage. I would bet Missouri will pass, but I'm skeptical Oklahoma would

I should also bring up that Arkansas may or may not be voting on legalization this November.

Although enough signatures were certified, the state Election Board withdrew it due to misleading ballot title/language. A lawsuit looks to be taking place, but there may not be enough time to settle it before ballots are printed.

https://norml.org/blog/2022/08/03/arkansas-election-officials-deny-certification-of-proposed-marijuana-legalization-amendment/

So it looks like Arkansas will be the sixth state to vote on legalization this November. Albeit with a caveat.

The measure will appear on the ballot as already written. However, enactment will be decided by the result of the lawsuit mentioned above. If they rule against the pro-legalization side, the result will be non-binding.

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/arkansas-supreme-court-orders-state-to-put-marijuana-legalization-initiative-on-ballot-but-votes-may-not-be-counted/

So "budsters" and "sinsters", maybe time to upgrade the map?

Bit goofy, but believe the last map I posted on this thread was way back in 2019.

()

This was on a post that same day where I explained the legend, while naturally "discussing with maps"

https://talkelections.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=258526.msg7066944#msg7066944

So it looks like the ballot measure in Oklahoma may also be up in the air.

From my understanding, this is what seems to be the problem;

- Earlier today (August 22), the signature count was completed and the measure received the required number of signatures
- It now goes to Oklahoma Supreme Court who have to confirm the count and open a 10-day window for public input
- However, August 29 is the deadline for the State Elections Board to officially certify measures & to start printing ballots

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/marijuana/recreational-marijuana-petition-secures-enough-signatures-to-get-on-a-ballot-but-november-election-not/article_099dd36c-2249-11ed-ac8e-e3f48bfc2443.html